At All Costs
by Darveymylove
Summary: Donna and Harvey are finally settling into their new life as a family. But things are about to get a lot more complicated when an old foe returns to cause trouble. #Darvey multichapter!
1. New beginnings

Chapter 1:

Harvey takes one look back into the bedroom, as he pulls his grey sweater over his head, slipping his arms into the sleeves. The early morning light streaming weakly through the glass walls of their apartment. It seemed so bare now compared to what it was before, most of their things boxed away, ready forthe fast approaching moving day.

His heart gave a somersault at the thought. An old upper-east side townhouse. They'd spent the better part of the last year renovating their new home, finally ready for them to move in, after much hard work. But it couldn't have come at a more perfect time.

He couldn't help but smile softly at his sleeping bride to be. They had put off the wedding too focus on moving into their new home, but just as the time had come around, another, happy surprise decided to raise its head, causing another delay.

They hadn't been trying, but that didn't make the news of her pregnancy any less welcome. He remembers how elated he'd been. It was something he didn't know he wanted until it was happening, and now, with only two weeks left of her first trimester, they couldn't wait to share the news with the rest of their friends and family, unveiling the nursery they had worked on in secret, for their little bundle of joy.

With one last look, he turned, heading quietly for the front door, opening and closing it with a soft click and setting off on his morning run. It had become harder to head out on these necessary outings every second morning, tempted to just stay with his arms wrapped around her in the warmth of their sheets. Not only that, but since they'd discovered she was pregnant, Donna had grown increasingly anxious and obsessive, afraid to put a foot wrong, something the doctors had insured them to be completely normal, especially in first pregnancies. Her morning sickness had also proven a challenge, as often it stretched over the whole day, leaving her worn and sickly.

The thought drove his feet a little faster in their jog, carrying him around the quiet park at an accelerated pace. He wanted to get back before she woke, guilt nestled in his stomach as he thought of leaving her this afternoon, due to head on a business trip out of town that was meant to last three nights, he'd managed to negotiate them down to one. He didn't want to be away from her for longer than that, not only because of her own anxieties, but because of his as well.

Harvey let out a puff of breath, coming to a stop at the water fountain for a moment of rest. Bending down to the tap, he noticed something strange out of the corner of his eye, a man, dressed in dark clothing, sitting on one of the park benches not far from him. An unusual sight for this early on a Wednesday morning. The park was almost deserted, save for a few morning joggers like himself and some maintenance staff. If that wasn't odd enough, the man seemed to be watching him, unashamedly, staring intently and not diverting his gaze as Harvey glanced in his direction.

Harvey rose from the fountain, dragging the back of his hand across his mouth as he set off again, stealing a glance back in the direction of the figure, who had risen and began moving slowly after him. Almost certain now that he was being followed, he made a turn, diverging from his usual route, and sure enough the stranger followed at a distance. It baffled him, whoever this person was, he clearly wanted to be seen. In an act of defiance, Harvey came to a halt, turning to face the man in a challenge, who stood a good distance away from him, further down the path.

But upon doing so, the figure stopped, and Harvey was certain he could make out the faintest of smirks on his face, before he turned and began walking away, calmly. And although he would never admit it, it startled him.

"Hey!" Harvey called, but it made no difference, the man continued to walk in the opposite direction, disappearing almost out of sight.

He tried to shake the feeling of unrest that clung to his shoulders, as he ran home. His gut instinct telling him there was something more sinister going on, while his mind tried to rationalize the encounter. Compiling every possible reason why there could be someone following him. An ex-client with a grudge, an unhappy current client? Or worse, someone he put away. He didn't want to let his mind go there, the thought making his hand tremble slightly as he fumbled with the lock of the front door.

He could hear the kettle boiling as he made his way into the living room, indicating that Donna was just awake, always starting with a coffee before she began getting ready for the day. But as he turned the corner into the kitchen, the redhead was nowhere in sight.

"Donna?" he called softly, to no reply. He noticed an apple sitting on the counter, two bites taken from it before it had been discarded. He grimaced, knowing too well what that meant.

He made his way to the bathroom door, the sound of coughing drawing his attention as he almost completely forgot about that morning's encounter, too concerned with helping her.

He gave a soft knock at the door before pushing it open, "Don?" he whispered, letting her know he was there as he spotted her hunched over the toilet bowl.

She sat back, white over-sized t-shirt crumpled and hair disheveled, pale skin bare, with dark circles shadowing her eyes, but she still looked as beautiful as ever to him.

"You okay?" he prompted, kneeling down next to her and reaching out a hand for hers, which she took gratefully. She replied with a weak nod. Getting to her feet on unsteady legs and reaching a hand out to flush.

"It's a no breakfast morning." She mumbled, moving forward into his embrace, snuggling her check against his chest, her arms curled between both their bodies, not hugging, letting him enclose her completely, longing for that comfort of feeling protected.

"Do you need to take the day?" he asked, knowing the answeralready but planting a kiss on her temple in the hopes of softening her reaction.

"Absolutely not." She replied, her voice rising slightly, "I've taken enough days off already-"

"One and a half is hardly considered-"

She laughed softly, rolling her eyes, looking up at him, bringing a hand to touch his face with a small smile.

"Are you still ok… with me leaving for the night." Her smile faded slowly, but she quickly forced another one in its place.

"Yes. I'll be fine." But she barely managed to convince herself, never mind Harvey, she turns away, leaning her back against him, and wincing when she spots her reflection in the mirror.

He tilts his head in that way that tells her she's not fooling anyone, but there's sympathy behind his eyes. He hates leaving her like this, when she needs him most.

"Hey," he begins, his hands coming to rest on her waist, "just think, this time next week, we'll be standing in our new home,permanently, all three of us." He brings one hand across, palming her stomach fondly.

She smiles, a single tear threatening to fall, "I can't wait."

"Me either." He replies, hugging her closely.

"I'm just scared…" she breathes.

"Donna-"

"It's not uncommon in women my age – " he shakes his head, not sure what to do to soothe her worry, God knows he's tried over the past few weeks, her fear of miscarrying stemmed from her sister's own complications in her first pregnancy, it had frightened her,"I just want this first trimester to be over, then I can relax."

"You're going to be okay, both of you, I know you don't believe me –"

"I want to," she admits, resting her hand over his on her stomach, "I just want this so much."

"And we have it," he tries but her frown remains set in stone, "I wish I could take some of that weight off your shoulders."

Donna sighs with a thankful smile, "come on, we better start getting ready… have you even packed yet?" she begins fussing, removing herself from his hold and heading back into the bedroom.

He watches her go, wondering how he got so lucky with her.

XXX

-_Hey Don, everything ok?_

…

-_Yes. All of your meetings were taken care of, everything's running smoothly._

He rolls his eyes at the response, he could care less about his meetings, it's her he wanted to check on.

-_I meant are **you **alright? Feeling any better?_

There's a longer wait for a reply this time, he knows what that means.

-_Just the usual. Is your flight on time?_

-_Just boarding now, I'll call you tonight at 11, I should be back at the hotel room by then._

…

-_Okay, Fly safe, love you x_

-_Text me if you need anything. Love you too x_

He slips the phone back into his pocket, grabbing the handle of his carry-on bag as he stands from the chair. The flight seems quiet, not many people waiting at the gate to board. Just as he's about to make his way to the desk, a familiar face catches his eye, approaching him, flanked by another man who he doesn't recognize.

"Ross?" Harvey calls with a smile, taking the final few steps to close the gap between them, his hand out stretched to shake, he hadn't seen his friend from the police force in almost a year, although word of his promotion had reached him, "How have you been? Congrats on the new job."

Ross takes his hand, shaking it firmly, "Harvey Specter, good to see you, the circumstances unfortunate however, this is my colleague, Eric," Harvey shakes his hand, although his attention remains on Ross.

"Listen, if you need help on case, I'm afraid now's not a good time-"

"It's not that. Follow me please," He leads them off in the direction of a staff door, leading to a small conference like room and signaling for him to sit.

"What's all this about?" Harvey prompts, fiddling with the cuffs of his suit jacket.

Ross clenches his jaw, "We have reason to believe that Anthony Lawson is back in New York, and furthermore, we believe he may be back with the purpose of evening the score between the two of you."

"Shit." Harvey curses, Anthony Lawson was essentially a gang leader, he'd crossed Harvey's path a few long years ago, in relation to the framing of one of his clients, he'd fled the state on the cusp of being tracked down by the authorities, as a result of the information Harvey had fed them, they'd managed to put away one of his top associates. It was a well-known fact that Harvey had been one of his prime targets since then.

"We have intel which suggests that he planned to intervene on your business trip today, we want to take you into witness protection, but we need to move fast-"

There's only one thought on his mind, "what about Donna? My fiancé, you'll have to take her too."

Ross grimaces, "We have to be careful about how we do this, we have a cover story but you're going to have to work with us."

"What's the cover story?" he asks bluntly.

Ross nods at Eric, who removes a file from his briefcase, handing it to Harvey. The lawyer skims the contents, one glance and he already has his answer.

"No."

Ross clears his throat, "Harvey with all due respect-"

"No, I'm not leaving her, even if it's only for a couple of hours, I'm not putting her at risk-"

"If you go back there now, you'll be putting her at even more risk, you don't get on that flight, and they'll realize something's up." He tries, pleading with his friend to trust him, "you think they haven't got someone watching you?"

It strikes a nerve as he remembers his encounter earlier that morning.

"You promise you'll get her out as soon as you can?" he asks, he can't bear the thought of what he's about to do, knowing he has no other choice.

"We promise." Replies Eric, and Harvey narrows his eyes, scrutinizing the strange man.

"Anything happens to her, and you'll regret the day you were born." He warns, taking a deep breath, "Let's get this show on the road."

**Xxx**

**I'm back!! This is my first multi chapter in a while and about a year on since I wrote my first fic on this site! This one is going to be packed with drama and I'll try to keep the updates regular! Please review and let me know what you think! **


	2. Lost

It's 9:30 before she arrives home that night. Having decided to stay late and distract herself with work, the thoughts of coming home to an empty apartment unnerving her, although she wished it didn't.

Her hormones were driving her crazy, while she'd always missed Harvey on the rare occasions they had to spend a night apart, she had never felt this way before. This constant need for contact with him had begun with her pregnancy, and although she knew her own fears to be somewhat irrational, she couldn't seem to drill it into her head.

Donna kicks off her heels as she enters the dark apartment, leaning one palm against the wall for support as she shrinks four inches. Her stomach gives a loud growl shattering the silence in the large room. It was only at this time of night that she craved food these days, cramming in enough dinner to last her the following twenty hours of nausea. She faces the kitchen with a huff, having gotten far to use to Harvey cooking for her every evening over the past few weeks.

"Take out it is." She mumbles to herself, reaching into her purse in search of her phone and dialing in the usual order.

She begins to strip down as she makes her way to the bathroom, craving a long hot shower. Turning the faucet up high as she lets her dress fall to the floor, her days of body tight numbers may be coming to an end, the figure hugging dresses already becoming a little uncomfortable for her.

She'll wear the white dress tomorrow, she decides, the Alexander McQueen with the flowy skirt, Harvey loves that dress, has always adored seeing her in white.

She laughs quietly at the thought, brushing a finger over the golden band on her finger, _what an interesting coincidence_.

Donna takes a quick look in the mirror, stopping when the smallest of curves catches her eye. A gasp escapes her lips as she brings a delicate hand to the tiny bump, it's the first time she's really noticed it, clear as day. Her mouth curling into a blissful grin, having to stop herself from calling out to Harvey, her heart sinking as she remembers he's not here.

She jumps in the shower, letting the hot water comfort her, wash away what was left of her make-up, loosening the hairspray from her red locks.

When she steps out a while later, she wraps a towel around her body, padding across the room to find one of her favorites of Harvey's shirts, a blue cotton one that he rarely wears anymore, which makes it perfect sleep wear material. She had been wearing this shirt the morning they discovered she was pregnant, and she pulls it over her skin, all the happy morning memories washing over her.

Heading back to the bathroom she brushes her hair carefully, reaching for the little black bottle of Harvey's aftershave and applying a couple of drops to the collar of the shirt. The scent was soothing, working like a spell in calming her. She takes a quick peek at her phone, 10:07, less than an hour until Harvey calls.

She picks up the iPhone, opening the camera app and standing to the side in the mirror, placing one hand on her stomach to accentuate the small bump under the oversized shirt, clicking the button to capture the picture of her in the mirror. Linking it to Harvey and sending it off with a message:

_This one won't hide much longer! We miss you x_

"Now," She whispers to her little companion, "Where's our dinner?"

Less than an hour later she's clearing up after a feast of Thai food, leaving the leftovers in the fridge just in case of a midnight craving. Taking her mug of tea from the counter she heads to bed, snuggling down among the sheets, cold without him.

Grabbing her phone, she clicks the lock button,

**11:02**.

Still no calls from Harvey.

Presuming he's been held up in traffic on his way back to the hotel she doesn't pay much heed to his tardiness. Reaching for her book instead to pass the time.

Ten minutes pass slowly.

**11:12**.

Still no calls.

She opens the message app, he didn't reply to the message she sent him early, the screen showing it as unread. It shouldn't bother her, but it does, there's a thousand reasons why he may not have had time to look at his phone.

He may still be driving. He had mentioned that he would be hiring a car while there. That could be it.

She places the phone down again, picking up her book and staring at the pages, unable to focus on the words.

Another fifteen minutes pass.

**11:27**.

Screw it.

She picks up the phone, sliding it open and clicking the call button beside his name.

It goes dead straight away.

She tries again.

The same result.

Her breath hitches. Her mind trying to rationalize the situation while her stomach busies itself tying her nerves up in knots.

She decides to wait a little longer, once again attempting to focus on her novel but her attention is wearing thin and fast.

**11:42**.

She opens her email, looking for the phone number of the hotel she'd booked for him and dialing it with a shaking hand.

"Hello, this is the Griffith Hotel, how may I help you?"

"Hi," she breathes, composing herself, "My name is Donna P- Specter-"she corrects herself, more likely to be given the information she seeks as his wife.

"I wanted to check if my husband Harvey Specter has checked in yet?"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Specter we can't give out that information over the phone-"

"I have his account details." She tries.

"I really do apologize-"

"Please," she hates to beg but can't help the desperation, this may all be for nothing but she needs to know, "I booked the room for him, I'm concerned about his where-abouts."

There's silence for a moment, and Donna holds her breath, her concern may be unnecessary but she's not taking that chance. They've always had this unexplainable connection, she knows when something's not right with him, she can feel in her bones, grating at her resolve.

"Mr. Specter was due to check in almost an hour ago, but hasn't." the receptionist says quietly, out of sympathy.

_Shit._

"Thank you, if – when," she corrects herself again, "he does, could you please ask him to call me as soon as possible."

"Of-course Mrs. Specter, have a good evening."

The line goes dead and the flat line buzzing sets her on edge. She tries Harvey's number again, dragging a hand through her still damp hair as it goes straight to voicemail for the umpteenth time.

She's just about to dial again when a sharp knock at her door startles her, the thin phone slipping through her unsteady fingers and clattering on the floor. She curses, but begins making her way to the entrance of the penthouse, attempting and failing to stop her hands from shaking as she struggles to unlock the door.

She swings it back on its hinges frantically, and her mind falters as her eyes meet Samantha's, perhaps the last person she expected to see standing at her door, although not quite sure who she was expecting to see, maybe part of her was hoping it would be Harvey.

"Donna," the blond looks tense and slightly shaken, her demeanor is unusual and unnerving and it does another turn of Donna's stomach, not sure if she can deal with any more stress right now, "Can I come in?"

Donna steps aside, inviting her to follow as she makes her way back to the kitchen, "Listen Samantha if there's some kind of emergency at the firm, I'm not sure I can deal with it right now, I've been trying to get a hold of Harvey all evening b-"

She stops as she notices Samantha take a sharp breath, "Donna, I think you should sit down." Her tone is anything but assertive and it's out of character for the lawyer.

Donna feels her blood run cold, the dots connecting all of a sudden.

"What happened to Harvey." It's barely above a whisper but it catches Samantha off guard, her ability to piece together the situation at hand in record time astounding her.

Samantha's lips part, as if she's struggling to form the words, and it only worries Donna more, "Please Donna, I think you should sit-"

"Tell me!" her voice raised now, desperate, her eyes red rimmed and pleading, her whole- body rigid, a feeble attempt at steeling herself against whatever is to come.

"There was an accident," she begins, "it looks like his car slide off the side of the road, it fell fifty feet into a lake… the car's destroyed…" she stalls, she can't bring herself to say it out loud.

"Is – is he…" Donna brings a shaking hand to her chest, trying to contain her heart within its confines as it feels like it's about to burst from her chest.

"They haven't found the body, but he's… he's presumed – dead."

A cold-sweat floods her skin as the other woman's words sink into her mind, eyes glazing over in a way that distorts her surroundings completely, she can't hear a thing but her heart hammering in her ears, deafening her to all other sounds.

She doesn't cry, crying doesn't seem like enough. Instead an earth-shattering screech erupts from her throat as she grips the kitchen counter for support, she's never felt hurt like this before and it's unbearable. Every last ounce of air squeezed mercilessly from her lungs, a searing pain blooming in her chest and spreading through her bones, undoing her.

He's gone.

She's on her own.

_They're on their own._

It's the last thought on replay in her head as the ground opens up beneath her feet, a darkness swallowing her into an oblivion of grief.

Xxx

**Ooooof this one hurt to write, but all is not as it seems... don't lose hope, chapter 3 is on its way shortly! **


	3. Back To You

Chapter 3:

Samantha hangs up the phone as she paces the floor of Harvey and Donna's penthouse. The sound of her shoes on the polished wood echoing loudly in the eerily quiet space. It'd been almost an hour since Donna had collapsed, she had called an ambulance but instead of sending help, they had assured her that this was a normal reaction to shock in the body, and that Donna should be ok. Leaving her with advice to check her pulse regularly, so she had done so, carrying her to the bed and wrapping her friend up warm.

She can't seem to shake the look on Donna's face when she told her. The pain and grief written across her body haunting her as she stood alone in the apartment where the pair had lived together.

She had received the news of Harvey's accident from a friend of hers in the media. The press already having gotten word of the story. She had rushed over to Donna, hoping to get to her before she saw it on TV or online. Knowing that to be the worst possible way for her to find out.

On her way over she had placed a call to Mike and Rachel Ross.

Rachel, thankfully, was on a case in Chicago, less than a 2hour flight from NYC and had vowed to get the next flight into town to be at Donna's side.

Samantha was expecting her to arrive in the next few minutes. Hoping she would before Donna would wake. Knowing, that although she cared deeply for the redhead, she wasn't who she needed right now. She needed family.

Another short while passes before there's a knock at the door. She rushes to answer, glad of the disruption of the harrowing silence.

Rachel's eyes are already red rimmed when she opens the front door.

"Thank you so much for coming."

Rachel nods with a sad smile, "where is she." She doesn't bother asking if Donna's ok, knowing the answer already.

"In bed, she hasn't come through yet." Samantha informs her as the younger woman follows her into the kitchen.

"If it's ok with you Rachel, I think I should go. It's been a long night and I'd like to go and see if I can get control of what's going on in the media, the last thing Donna needs is to be swamped down by the press."

Rachel nods again, "Thank you, for coming to tell her. It was the right thing to do. I'll let you know how she is when she wakes."

"Please do, I'll make sure to keep you informed on anything I find out."

Rachel turns her attention to Donna, dropping her coat on the sofa and abandoning her small suitcase alongside it, she removes her heels before entering the room, hoping not to disturb her, thinking it best to let her rest as long as possible. She crawls into the bed next to her, lying on her side and facing her friend with a heavy heart. After all her and Harvey had been through, it pains her to see it end this way. They had so little time but deserved so much more.

She's pulled from her own thoughts as Donna begins to stir, her face creasing slightly and eye lashes fluttering.

"Donna?"

A groan escapes the redhead's lips as she beings to wake, her mind not yet caught up with the situation at hand.

"Harv-" she mumbles, there's a slight pain in her temple and she knows there's painkillers on his side of the bed, reaching a hand over in search of his body to rouse him.

"Donna," Rachel calls softly again, her heart breaking, "Don, it's Rachel."

The redhead's eyes fly open in confusion, "Rach-?"

And then it all comes crashing down.

Her breath catches in her throat as she remembers, and she screws her eyes shut as she wills herself to forget again, those few sleepy seconds of ignorance had been bliss to her.

The tears are coming now, no longer able to hold them back, and she struggles to breathe as heavy sobs envelope her.

"It's okay," Rachel soothes, taking her friends hand, and running the other through her hair, brushing it from her face, "It's okay to cry, let it out, I'm here."

Donna lurches for her best friend, wrapping her arms around her as she cries, Rachel responding by holding on tighter, rubbing her back as it trembles. It's a long time before she begins to calm, running out of energy, the tears continue to flow but her body relaxes, and Rachel's not sure what to say or do to help at all.

"Why – how are you here?" Donna mumbles sitting up slightly.

"Samantha called us, I was on a case in Chicago, so I got here as soon as I could, Mike's on his way, he'll be here in the morning." She explains.

"Who knows?" she inquires, the thoughts of having to tell Harvey's family tearing her up from the inside out.

"The immediate bunch," She offers, Jessica and Louis had been informed and were working with Samantha to deal with the press storm, as for Harvey's family, she presumes they know by now.

"The story was leaked to the news." Rachel continues, "Samantha came over as soon as she heard, she didn't want you to find out that way, if his family don't know yet, I'm sure they will soon."

Donna's mind wonders to Lily, the thoughts of her finding out breaking her heart all over again, she can't imagine how Lily will feel, if Donna feels this awful, praying to God that she never experiences the pain of losing a child.

_A child._

Her hand goes to her mouth with a gasp, "Rachel." She breathes, a new form of ache taking hold, she's never felt this frightened.

"I'm alone…" she gasps, and Rachel's eyes fill with empathy.

"Donna, listen to me, you're not alone in this. You have me, you have Mike, and Louis, Jessica and any number of people who love you, we're in this with you-"

"No, you don't understand," they hadn't planned to tell anyone about the pregnancy until the end of her first trimester, at their house-warming party where they would reveal the nursery, now they'll never get the chance, "Rachel, I'm pregnant."

Rachel's composure breaks for a moment, a sad smile gracing her beautiful features, "Oh, Donna."

"We were going to be a family…" she whispers, and she can feel another sob bubbling up in her chest, "Now I'm on my own and I –"

The pain takes hold again as she loses herself in her tears. Rachel shushing and soothing but she can't help her own tears from falling. Donna and Harvey had been so close to getting the happy life they deserved and now…

There's a loud knock at the door, and it startles both women, "Please, tell whoever it is to go away." Donna pleads, turning over in the bed and burying herself in the duvet.

Rachel rises from her perch, making her way to answer the door, when she opens it she's met with the sight of two men, police officers. She grimaces, having expected them to arrive.

"Sorry to call so late at night, but we need to speak to Ms. Donna Paulsen urgently." The older of the two men begins.

"Of course," she breathes, "Come in, she's already received the news I'm afraid."

"We need to speak to her regardless," the younger officer says, "My name is Eric and this is Ross."

"Rachel Ross," she introduces herself, gesturing for the two men to sit in the living room, "I'll go get her, but just to warn you, she's really not fit to see any one."

The two men share a regretful look that confuses Rachel, but she shakes it off, heading into the bedroom to find Donna."

About ten minutes later they emerge from the room, Donna still in Harvey's shirt but now sporting a pair of boxer shorts to match, her face is pale, in stark contrast with the redness of her eyes.

The two detectives stand, introducing themselves as she sits in silence, not bothering to acknowledge their greeting, just wanting to get this formality over with so she can go back to hiding in bed.

"Ms Paulsen, I want to apologise for what's happened-"

"Have they found him yet?" she mumbles, the fact that they hadn't yet found a body had been the one piece of hope she'd held onto, but she needed to know now.

"Ms Paulsen," he begins again, but glances at Rachel, "we'd prefer to speak to you in private."

Donna and Rachel share a confused look, not sure why it matters if Rachel hears the news from them or from Donna straight after.

"No, anything you have to say can be said in front of Rachel." She stands her ground, her patience wearing thin now.

The younger detective looks agitated, he's blond, she thinks she remembers him saying his name was Eric. She decides she doesn't like him, getting a strange aura from the man.

"There's been a misunderstanding," the other man explains, "Your fiancé is not dead, he's been taken into witness protection, this was intended as a cover story, but the press leaked the news before we could get to you. I'm so sorry-"

"Excuse me?" she gasps, her heart feels like it might just burst, he's not dead, but he is in danger, and the thought interrupts her relief, she feels Rachel squeeze her shoulder.

"He's okay?" Rachel inquires, watching Donna struggle to find the words.

"Yes, he's safe," the detective confirms and Donna feels like she can truly breathe again, a few stray tears escaping her eyes, "But we need everyone to believe he's dead, or at least, missing." He glances at Rachel who nods in confirmation that she will keep the secret.

"Why is he in witness protection?" Donna asks, "what happened?"

"Does the name Anthony Lawson ring a bell to you."

"Shit," Donna gasps, knowing too well what that means, "so what happens now."

"As such a close relation to Mr. Specter, you're also in immediate danger, we want to take you into protection to join him, but we can't do so straight away without raising suspicion."

"So, what's the plan?" Donna wonders aloud, eager to do anything if it means getting herself to Harvey.

"We need you to issue a statement to the press tomorrow to make this look convincing, you need to claim that you're going abroad to stay with family, don't be specific. Tomorrow evening, a car will collect you from this address, the details are all here." he slides a folder across the table and she nods.

"This is very important Ms Paulsen, both you and Harvey are in a lot of danger, no one can know."

"I understand." She nods, swallowing her fear.

"Good," he replies, standing, "and once again I'm so sorry for the misunderstanding."

Under any other circumstances she'd be furious, but can't bring herself to focus on that right now, too consumed with relief that he's still breathing.

"Can I speak to him?" she tries, wanting to desperately to hear his voice.

Eric, _asshole_, shakes his head, "I'm afraid not, a phone call puts him at risk of being traced."

She throws him a dirty look with no reservations, but he deflects it, turning to leave with his partner.

The echo of the door closing seems so loud, her head spinning as she tries to process the past few hours.

"Are you okay?" Rachel asks gently, obviously knowing she's happy to hear that Harvey's alive, but aware it's still a lot to take in, and she worries for her friend's state of mind.

"Yes and no," she breathes, falling back on the sofa with a sigh, "he's ok, that's all that matters, but I'm still scared… Anthony Lawson being back is serious, that man is unhinged, and he's had Harvey marked for years, what if something happens-" her breath hitches as she begins to panic.

"Hey," Rachel tries, sitting next to her and looping an arm over her shoulders, "he's safe, and by this time tomorrow night, you'll be with him."

The thought works wonders as she paints that picture in her mind, wanting nothing more than to hold him, something she thought she would never get to do again.

"Now," Rachel says with a small smile, "_mommy_, we can talk about this properly."

Donna looks up at her friend, "I know," she replies, "We weren't even trying, but this is the happiest we've ever been,since we found out, Harvey is over the moon."

"And what about you?" Rachel asks.

"Head over heels in love with this little bump," she takes Rachel's hand, guiding it towards her stomach, "We wanted to wait until the end of the first trimester to tell anyone, to tell the truth, I've been so terrified of losing it."

"Donna, why?" she replies with concern.

"My sister had complications with her first pregnancy, and we both want this so badly, I'm just paranoid, but at the same time so excited, we even decorated one of the rooms as a nursery in our new home."

"I'm so happy for you both, how far along are you?"

"Almost 11 weeks." She replies, she knows to the minute how far along she is, counting down the days to twelve weeks.

Donna yawns, fatigue hitting her hard as the events of the evening begin to take their toll.

"Come on," Rachel says, standing, "we both need to get some sleep, will I take the couch?"

"Absolutely not," Donna replies, "It's been too long since we had a sleepover, and I'll sleep better knowing you're there beside me."

_**The following evening:**_

Seven o' clock couldn't come around soon enough for Donna Paulsen. She had spent the day with Rachel, and later Mike, whom they had informed of the plan, getting all her ducks in a row before she went away. Calling Louis to give notice of indefinite leave, composing her press statement which was forwarded to her assistant to be released and packing a small bag for herself and Harvey, a task which proved the most difficult of all.

They'd had no reservations in informing Mike of the situation with Anthony Lawson, it was a case Harvey had worked on before meeting Mike so he was in no danger. And there was no way in hell they could keep pretending to Mike like Harvey was gone, it just wouldn't have been right. Both the Ross' agreed to stay on for a week or so and help the firm settle to Donna and Harvey's absence, something the office was sure to take a hit over.

At 6:30, the pair put Donna in a cab, sending her off to the location she'd been given, reciting it carefully to the driver. Eric had called her earlier in the day to inform her of a change of location, somewhere apparently safer, she didn't recognise the address, but didn't question it.

Her mind was focused solely on Harvey, the only thing keeping her together, numbing her nerves, was the thought of seeing him again, alive and safe.

The drive lasted longer than she expected, and when they finally arrived it was beginning to get dark, she thanked the driver, and wheeled her small suitcase down the pavement of the quiet street, turning up the collar of her black coat. She had opted for something comfortable, a cotton dress with an a-line skirt and long sleeves, black, again, as she was supposed to be in mourning, a small, comfy pair of heels on her feet.

She checked her watch.

6:56.

Her ride should be here soon.

She takes a moment to observe her surroundings, it's a part of New York she'd never ventured too before, a run-down area, most of the houses on this road derelict or dark, with no sign of life.

It was a lonely area, and the silence began to make her anxious.

She hears a noise coming from one of the alley-ways down the street, a woman emerging, dressed in jeans and a dark sweater, she avoids eye-contact, once again looking at her watch.

6:59.

Her car should be here by now. Why isn't it here yet.

The woman is approaching her now and it makes her uneasy although she knows it shouldn't.

"Excuse me, Miss?" the woman calls out, Donna turns to face her, only a couple of paces away now, she can see her features more clearly, she appears to be few years younger than Donna, raven hair swept back in a high pony tail, she stands about the same height as Donna at the moment, although without heels to aid her, her face is bear of make-up, and while she seems younger his skin is more worn, red marks on her neck that are beginning to fade catch Donna's eye.

"Are you alright?" Donna asks sweetly, plastering a smile on her face, taking another subtle glance at her watch.

7:02.

"I was just wondering," the woman begins, her accent is easily identifiable, Brooklyn by the sounds, "Could you give me directions to the nearest Subway stop?"

The woman seems nervous, and it confuses Donna, she's not looking directly at her, glancing over her shoulder instead as she asks.

"I'm sorry sweetie," Donna begins, pitying her, she seems scared for some reason and it worries her, hoping she's not in any trouble, "I'm not from around here, I'm just as clueless as you are."

"It's okay," the girl shifts from foot to foot, and Donna thinks she hears a car behind her, relief hitting her in waves.

"Maybe try walking to the end of the street and –"

Before she can finish her sentence, the girl has struck out at her, hitting her across the face and sending her stumbling back in shock. She hears a car door swing open and, she bumps into another body stopping her from falling to the floor.

A gasp escapes her as strong arms wind their way round her waist, dragging her in the direction of the curb, but before she can scream a cloth is held over her mouth and nose with force. She struggles against the grip but feels herself becoming drowsy, consciousness slipping away with every breath, the last thing she registers is being thrown to the floor of what she thinks is a van, and a heavy door sliding shut with a loud bang before her eyes finally shut.

XXX

**Just when you thought everything was going to be ok... **

**This is a super quick update because I felt bad leaving you all on that cliffhanger, (sorry not sorry). But here's another cliffhanger to contend with instead :) **

**Next chapter will be here soon, thanks for all the support, please keep the reviews coming! They really help motivate me to write! Xx**


	4. Desperation

Chapter 4:

Harvey's heart leaps at every sight of headlights that leak through the pulled blinds of the window. He's been waiting for Donna to for less than twenty-four hours, but it feels like weeks. Trapped in this small house on his own, no phone, no contact with the outside world.

His last glimpse had been a text from Donna, a picture of her standing in the mirror, her bump just about visible through the loose material of his old shirt. It's the image he's been holding tight to, ever since he arrived at this safe house, stuck on loop in his mind, her smile keeping him sane.

Before his phone and laptop had been confiscated, with a grumble about a safety precautions, something about a risk of the line being traced.

He'd been left to pace the creaking halls of this prison in disguise, wondering about her safety, her well-being and her state of mind, well aware of how anxious she's been with this pregnancy, wondering if she's ok, if she needs him? Wishing he could be there with her to talk her through whatever worries came into her head.

However, he's still blissfully unaware of the fatal error that led Donna to believe he was dead, the police officers choosing to withhold that detail from him.

Finally, he hears the crunching of wheels on the gravel of the driveway outside, the sound of a car slowing to a halt and lights fading. He jumps from his perch on the uncomfortable sofa, nearly tearing the sitting room door off its hinges on his way to the front of the house.

He drags a hand through his hair to calm his nerves, he'd been anticipating her arrival for what felt like an endless eternity, and now the moment had finally arrived, she would be safe, here with him, all of them together.

He hears the keys jiggling in the lock, but his face drops when he's met with the two detectives, alone.

"Where's Donna?" He demands, already on high alert sensing something's wrong.

"Harvey, let's sit and discuss-"

"No! God damn it tell me where she is!" He yells and the older officer winces, the younger rolling his eyes subtly but it doesn't go unnoticed.

"For some reason, she didn't arrive at the pick-up location we gave her, instead she went to a different location.." Eric explains, and Harvey catches him glancing to the left and fiddling with the cuff of his sleeve, Harvey eyes him carefully, the detective's body language strange "we have reason to believe she was picked up by Lawson's men."

His words are like a red flag to a bull.

Harvey lunges for the hallway desk, ridding it of its contents in a furious swipe of aggression, "**_fuck_**!" the dusty ornaments clatter to the wooden floor noisily, along with a stock photo in a frame of a family, a man, a woman and a young child, he eyes it as the glass shatters in front of him, perhaps mirroring something within himself, but it does nothing to relieve him.

"Harvey please, we need you to stay calm, losing the rag isn't going to help the situation-" Ross tries to reason with him, his own guilt tremendous.

"Well what the hell is?" Harvey retorts, he's fuming now, face flushed red and breath coming in heavy pants, "you promised me you'd keep her safe, you lying son of a bit-"

"Every moment we spend arguing over this is another opportunity lost at saving her." Ross pleads, he knows he screwed up, he's been wracking his brain all night trying to figure out how.

Harvey begins to simmer down, panic and concern starting to out-weigh his anger, he can't imagine how frightened she must be, alone, not knowing where she is or how to help, she hates feeling helpless, always the problem solver, always willing to take the lead for others when they find themselves in trouble, but this time, she's at the receiving end of that trouble, and he can't help but wonder how she'll cope.

His mind also wandering to the baby, how hard this must be on her, knowing what's at stake, the thought of either one of their lives being put at risk sending him on a downward spiral.

"What are we going to do." He murmurs, his voice wavering as he's over-come with pure desperation.

"Lawson will likely make contact in the next few hours, to make demands or communicate his agenda in some way," Eric begins to explain, gesturing for the two men to follow him into the kitchen, "that will give us something to go on, in the mean-time we have a few leads that may help us locate him sooner, so let's get working on that."

"So, what?" Harvey seethes, as he follows them into the shoebox kitchen, watching them as they sit, every breath they take grates on him, in his mind they're just as much responsible for this as Lawson is, "we're just supposed to sit here, doing _fuck all_, until Anthony Lawson decides he wants to make contact?"

Ross grimaces, rubbing a palm across the five o' clock shadow shading his cheeks, Eric leans back in his chair, lips pursed, he looks altogether bored by this entire situation, and Harvey's just about had enough of his attitude.

"Are you kidding me!" Harvey yells incredulously, bringing his fist down on the counter top of the plastic kitchen, he'd been a fool to place his trust in them, a move he fears he'll regret for the rest of his life, "Do you even know this guy?" he asks, in reference to Lawson, "He's a scheming sadist, it's not going to be black and white with him, it never fucking is, we need to be one step ahead, or –"

He can't bring himself to finish his sentence, the reality of what might happen too much to contend with. He grabs a pile files from the kitchen table, storming from the kitchen and returning to the sitting room. With the slam of the door echoing in his ears, the files slip from his hands as he sinks to the ground, back dragging along the back of the wooden panel. A strained cry breaks from his throat as his hands go to his face, the feeling edges on grief, and it terrifies him, using the palm his hand to muffle a sob.

He swears to himself, that no matter the cost, he will get them out of this.

XXX

Donna groans, her head feeling like a lead weight attached to her neck, resting against her left shoulder. Every inch of her body aches, the kind of sore you feel after a fall, the type of hurt you feel in your bones. She can't bring herself to open her eyes, feeling as though they're glued shut permanently.

She takes sharp breaths through her nose, quickly realizing there's something covering her mouth, tape she presumes.

Wiggling her fingers, she finds her hands restrained at her back, her body propped upright in a chair. With great effort,she blindly begins to shift around in her position, testing the boundaries of her restraints, discovering that her zip wire cuffs aren't attached to the chair, just holding her arms behind, giving her a little more freedom of movement.

Her breath begins to accelerate as her mind catches up with the situation at hand. She doesn't need to be a genius to figure out who's behind this, and thought turns her stomach inside out.

She feels panic creeping in now, fight or flight mode kicking-in in her mind, screaming at her to pick one, but neither arean option. She's responsible for two lives now and that added pressure lands on her chest like ton of bricks.

She's shaking now, mind racing, trying to work out what they might have used to drug her, fearing the worst, _what if it slows down the heart beat? _

_What if it damages the baby's development? _

_What if it poisons the baby?_

Her head spins, beads of sweat forming on her forehead, throat closing up with panic as every possible worst-case scenario runs across her mind, overwhelming her with guilt and worry. And she thinks, this is how Harvey's panic attacks must feel, a realisation that strikes her with an agonising dose of empathy.

She's had similar moments like this before in the last few weeks, never quite this bad, and granted, on a much less fatal scale, but she'd always had Harvey there to rationalize her out of it, now she's on her own.

**_No_****.**

She can't, **_won't_**, let anything happen to them.

She attempts to swallow her anxiety, or at least disguise it, deciding here and now that no matter what, she would fight, to her last breath for that little bump of life inside her.

No matter what it costs.

The sound of a heavy door swinging open on rusty hinges startles her. Forcing her heavy eyes to open and squinting through the blurry haze coating her vision.

"Donna!" Lawson greets with feigned enthusiasm, "my favourite redhead."

She all but growls through her gag, her eyes portraying more hatred than words ever could.

"Oh," he pouts mockingly, "Don't be like that, haven't you missed me, it's been such a long time."

She doesn't respond this time, staring at him head on, not giving him the satisfaction of thinking he's frightened her.

"And so much has happened!" He exclaims, as if he's catching up with a long-lost friend, not conversing with a hostile hostage, "I'm glad Harvey finally got his act together and put a ring on it!"

She huffs at him defiantly, and he rolls his eyes, "You're not much fun when you can't talk are you?" He asks, he doesn't remember too much about the redhead, having only crossed paths with her on a couple of occasions in passing, but her wit was something he hadn't forgotten. He moves closer, looming over her before bending forward so that his face is mere inches from hers.

She wants so desperately to cringe away from him but stands her ground, chin raised as she matches his gaze.

Without warning he rips the tape from her mouth and she can't help the whimper that escapes her as she gasps for air, her lips feel scorched.

"Now we can chat properly." He muses, dragging a chair across the room to face her, the scratching of the legs against the floor like nails on a blackboard. He brings the seat too close for comfort, his knees brushing against hers and the contact, though small, disgusts her.

"What do you want." She hisses, wishing he'd stop with the games and just get on with it, but she knows his style, she'd heard enough about him from Harvey way back when, having read the case files. He's a textbook sociopath, and borderline sadistic, whatever his intentions, they won't be straight forward, this is all a game to him, and she's already tired of playing.

"Oh, many things," she scoffs at the response and he leans forward resting a hand on her thigh, gripping, tightly.

Her resolve falters and she recoils, sickened by even the insinuation of his gesture, "but most of all," he trails his hand back towards her knee pulling at the material of her skirt as he goes, "I want revenge."

A snide remark dies on the tip of her tongue as he stands, leaning forward and placing both hands on her hips. She tries with all her might to stop her body from shaking but can't help the instinctive reaction.

A sob catches in her throat as one hand trails upwards along the side of her body, coming to a halt at her collar bone, where it rests possessively. He's leaning his weight down on her and it's suffocating.

"And you my dear," he breathes against her ear, the putrid air burning her skin as his nails bite her shoulder, his hold bordering on bruising.

"You are my insurance policy."

XXX

**Heyyyyy there, thank you for all support that this fic has received, it makes it soooo much easier to write, as you've probably noticed with my super quick updates! **

**There's plenty more drama to come so I hope you're ready! Let me know your thoughts as always! I love hearing them xxx**


	5. Reunion

Chapter 5:

After only a couple of hours of digging, with no results, Eric had received a phone-call from who he claimed to be an officer back at base, informing them of a lead which contained the location of Lawson's suspected hide out. They requested one of the detectives return, to assist in the planning of their ambush, while the other stay with Harvey for protection.

To Harvey's surprise, Eric offered to stay back, encouraging Ross to go.

"I want to come with you." Harvey admits, no way in hell does he plan on sitting, leaving Donna's fate in another's hands again, he needs to be involved, "please, let me help."

Ross sighs, understanding his friends urge to do something useful, "Look, Harvey if I could I would, but even if I thought this was a good idea, there's just no way in hell the feds would go for it."

There's a retort on the tip of Harvey's tongue but he's cut off as Ross raises a hand.

"I'm sorry Harv, this out of my control, there's nothing I can do."

He knows the detective is right, and nods, shaking his hand firmly before seeing him to the door.

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry Harvey," Ross admits, grimacing, "I should have done more to ensure her safety, I wish I had."

He appreciates the man's sincerity, though it does nothing to comfort him, nodding his thanks as he turns to leave.

The car has barely pulled out of the drive way before Eric speaks.

"What if there was another way." He offers, catching Harvey's attention.

"What do you mean? You heard what Ross said-"

"If you think the guys on this case now give two shits about your fiancé then you're a fool, they've been after Lawson for years, catching him is their priority, even if it puts her at risk." Eric spits.

The thought boils Harvey's blood, "so what do you suggest."

Eric leans back in his arm chair, casually, "well it just so happens, that I have access to the case file, meaning, I can get that location, if we leave now, we'll be there before the feds have even got their plan together, your car's in the garage and I've got the keys and your phone right here." He taps his pocket.

The idea turns over in Harvey's head, too good to resist, "What are we still doing here?"

XXX

Time passes slowly.

The empty, grey, claustrophobic room is without windows, giving no indication of the time of day, although from the ruthless turning of her stomach, Donna guesses it's approaching six or seven o' clock in the morning, usually when her first bout of morning sickness hits.

She hasn't slept, not since the effects of the drugs wore off, Lawson having disappeared after his ominous comment, leaving her to mull the threat over in her mind, fleshing it out and sending her into more than a few distraught states, over what's felt like a few drawn out hours.

She's tried her best to keep her composure, but the silence and the restrictions of her situation had begun to wear on her. Her focus now solely on otherwise occupying her mind, afraid she might be starting to go insane.

That's what he wants and she knows it. He's playing with her, putting her strength to the test and she'd sooner die than fail. She naws on the corner of her lip, a small comfort to distract her from the urge to vomit up the non-existent contents of her empty stomach, the sensation not aided by the throbbing of a pulse in her head.

She'd long since given up with struggling against her restraints, having rubbed the soft skin of her wrists raw in futile attempts to slip out of the plastic cuff. As a result, now, even to move her hands slightly caused a searing pain to bloom in her skin, like a Chinese burn.

Her heart skips a beat when the heavy door is dragged open with a whine from its hinges, a sliver of light invading the dark room and momentarily blinding her, before the door is shut with a thump.

Donna's eyes adjust and to her surprise she recognizes the person before her, the young woman who had approached her in the street.

She's dressed in the same clothes, and avoids eye contact with Donna as she makes her way forward into the room, a brown paper bag and a small bottle of water in her hands.

"I'm not supposed to be giving you food at all," she mumbles, opening the bag a producing a sandwich, "so you'll need to eat it fast."

Donna eyes her carefully, in a strange way touched by the act of sympathy, even if it is coming from one of her captors, but as she approaches with the food, the smell reaches her, causing her stomach to curl.

"I can't eat-" she stutters, not sure how to explain without admitting she's pregnant outright, which isn't something she wants to do, keeping Lawson's manipulative nature in mind, "I'm sorry, my stomach, it's sick – thank you though."

The woman throws her a curious look, and for a moment Donna wonders if she senses her lie, watching as her eyes trail down to her stomach but flash away quickly, shrugging her shoulders and tucking the brown bag back into the pocket of her jacket.

She brings the tip of the water bottle to Donna's lips, letting her take a few gulps before removing it. The water refreshes her mind, glad of some form of sustenance, wanting so desperately to have that sandwich although her body won't allow it.

"Thank you," Donna breathes, taking a closer look at the girl, the same red marks are visible on her neck, now accompanied by yellowish-black bruising, and the sight paints a frown on Donna's face. Whoever she is, she seems just as much a victim as Donna, even if she doesn't realize it.

"What's your name?" Donna asks kindly, hoping to gain her trust.

The raven-haired girl hesitates for a moment, "Rebecca." She whispers the reply, as though scared someone might hear her.

"I'm Donna."

The girl nods, she lingers nearby, and Donna begins to think she's younger than she originally believed, certainly no older than thirty.

"Are you hurt, Rebecca?" Donna tries gently.

The girl looks startled by the question, turning up the collar of her jacket instinctively with a shake of her head.

"I have to go." She murmurs, keeping her head down as she heads to the door, with a glance back at Donna before leaving.

It's not long after that the door opens loudly again, this time, it's Lawson who returns, although Rebecca follows closely behind him, shutting the door after both, she hangs back in the corner, and Donna's almost certain she catches her throwing a sympathetic glance in her direction.

"Did you sleep well, Mrs. Specter, or is it still Ms. Paulsen?" the asshole muses, as he circles her. She doesn't bother dignifying the remark with a response.

"Not so chatty again this morning I see." He says, removing his phone from his pocket and sliding it open with disinterest, he comes closer, standing behind her and placing a hand on her shoulder, his thumb at the back of her neck.

"Call out Specter's number." He commands, with a squeeze of his hand, the grip uncomfortably tight.

She knows what he's doing, and as much as she wants to hear Harvey's voice, to speak to him, she refuses to relent, understanding it as a ploy to lead him here, she can't cope with having to worry about anyone else's safety right now.

"No." she replies through gritted teeth.

His hand tangles in the back of her head, grabbing at her hair as he pulls her backwards painfully, "I'd think about that answer more carefully if I were you." he threatens, revealing the gun in his pocket.

Donna notices Rebecca remove a phone from her pocket, her lips pursing as she glances at the screen.

"Sir," she interrupts, "Eric just text, he's on his way with Specter."

"Excellent." Lawson leers, returning his attention to Donna.

Eric.

Why does that name ring a bell?

Her mind races at a mile a minute until she lands on the answer.

The detective.

He's a double agent, working for Lawson. That would explain why he changed her pick up location.

She feels ill at the thought, and now he's leading Harvey straight into the belly of the beast.

Lawson tugs at her hair again and she formulates a plan in her mind in a split second.

She steals another glance at Rebecca who she sees nodding subtly, and fear coils in her stomach.

Donna calls out the number from memory, with a wavering voice.

The tone rings three times before she hears his voice.

"Hello?"

"Harvey!" Lawson exclaims, still holding the phone near Donna's ear on speaker, as his hand remains rested on her shoulder, "how have been old friend?"

"Cut the crap Lawson," to anyone else he sounds confident and determined, but Donna identifies the hesitancy in his tone, "where's Donna?"

"Oh, she's right here with me." He twists her head to the side harshly and she unwittingly gives a whimper, no doubt his intention and she can almost feel Harvey's anger through the phone.

"What do you want?" He spits, she can tell he's trying to restrain himself.

"Oh, many things," he replies casually, "but mostly, I want to see you get what you deserve, I haven't quite decided what that means yet, but one things for sure, it's going to involve this gorgeous redhead."

"Let me speak to her."

"Be my guest." He releases his hold on Donna's hair and she gasps, the phone pressed against her ear.

"Harvey." She whispers, needing to focus but indulging herself for a moment.

"Donna," the way he says her name pains her and heals her all at once, "are you okay?"

No.

She wants to tell the truth but there's no point in worrying him so she deflects the question instead, "Harvey please, be careful." She can't stop herself crying, it's the first time she's heard his voice since believing him to be dead and it overwhelms her.

"You didn't answer me, are you hurt?"

"I -"

She notices Anthony growing bored of the conversation it's now or never.

She clears her throat.

"Don't trust Eric."

She feels a hit to the side of her head and cries out in pain, the phone removed from her ear swiftly.

"You sneaky little bitch." He laughs, almost impressed by her balls.

Her head's spinning, something warm seeping its way down the side of her face, sourced from the spot where she was struck.

"You're lucky it doesn't matter, he's already on his way here," Lawson leers into her ear, "now we just get to have a little more fun with it."

Her skin crawls as she tries to figure out what he means, he heads to the door, whispering something to Rebecca before pulling the door open, "let's play a little game with Mr Specter." And with that he's gone, leaving Donna reeling as her mind races with possibilities.

Rebecca comes nearer, removing a small cloth and bottle from the pocket of her coat.

Donna knows what that means, and the realization shakes her, a sob bubbling up in her chest as she shakes her head no, eyes pleading with the other woman.

"Please don't struggle," Rebecca mumbles, and Donna can trace the regret in her voice, "I have to-"

"No, no you don't." She tries, desperate, she can't risk another dose of whatever drug that is in her system, almost sure it will harm the baby in some way, but when Rebecca continues to apply it to the material, she realizes she has no choice but to tell the truth.

"I'm pregnant," she sniffles, and the comment stalls the other woman's ministrations, "please, I know you noticed earlier, I'm scared -"

She can see it's working, Rebecca's hand shakes, only slightly but it's there, Donna's sure she sees it.

"Do you have children?" Donna asks, trying to reason with her.

The younger woman nods slowly, biting her lip.

"Then you must know how I feel," she pleads, "I'm begging you, please don't."

Rebecca remains silent for a moment and Donna thinks it may just have worked, but then-

"I'm so sorry." She whispers, coming closer and pressing the cloth to Donna's mouth before she can begin to struggle.

Xxx

The sound of Donna's cry in pain reverberates in Harvey's ears, along with the echo of her words.

Don't trust Eric.

He glances over at the other man, sitting in the passenger seat of the car, thanking god that he had insisted on driving.

They're less than an hour away, and he decides on his best course of action. He'll wait until they arrive, parking further away than intended and ambushing him before he has the chance to pull anything.

"What did he say?" Asks Eric, and even the sound of his voice boils Harvey's blood.

"Just trying to entice me to him," he replies gruffly, "little does he know, huh?"

Eric gives a short laugh and a nod.

The rest of the drive passes in silence, until they pull closer to the old warehouse, surrounded from all angles by a tremendous wall of thick trees.

The two men exit the car, but before Eric can even shut his door, Harvey jumps him.

Throwing punch after hit, until he's lying at his feet bleeding, too caught off guard to even fight back.

Harvey pants, the physical release feeling admittedly good, but he doesn't have time to linger on the sensation, pulling the smaller man up over his shoulder and shoving him into the trunk of the car. Making sure to lock it carefully.

He sets off into the wooded area before him, observing his surroundings and spotting a window left a jar not far from him, the space he estimates to be just big enough for him to fit through.

The building looks over him as he approaches and his heart races.

He's reminded of the promise he made her and himself not too long ago,

"You don't ever have to feel scared like that again."

With his own words ringing in his ears he sets out, clueless to what awaits him.

He's been wandering the winding, dull corridors for what feels like hours on end, having not met another soul along the way, something that more than surprised him. He had expected to meet a few bumps along the way, but so far everything had gone smoothly, he had peered into various rooms unnoticed.

The ease at which he had managed to maneuver his way around should probably concern him, but he has a one track mind.

Solely focused on finding her, his senses deaf to all other reason.

Finally he comes to a stop outside a metal door, upon trying the handle he finds it locked, observing his surroundings in search of a key. To his astonishment, he spots a glint of something along the top of the door, his heart does a somersault as he reaches up to grab it.

Sticking it in the lock and turning it quietly. He pushes the handle down gently, wincing as it creaks slightly, and carefully opening the door, taking a cautious look inside.

His stomach drops when he sees her, cast out on the floor with her hands restrained, a chair not far from her, as is she'd fallen. She's lying on her side on the damp floor, her back to him, red hair pooled behind her. He notices the slow and subtle rise and fall of her shoulders, and he thinks his heart might just stop beating.

Donna feels herself slipping in and out of consciousness, somehow she's ended up on the floor of the room, her hands still stuck behind her back.

She can't remember how she got off the chair, a vague memory of being lifted and thrown crossing her mind as she feels the grazes along the side of her legs. And drips and drabs begin to come back to her.

Whatever Rebecca had given her, she hadn't given her a high enough does to knock her out completely, she had been battling with the drowsiness for what had felt like hours when another person she didn't recognize entered the room.

Yelling something she couldn't completely comprehend, her head foggy.

She remembers hands gripping her forearms, lifting her from the chair, and knocking her to the ground with a hit to the head.

Whoever it was, must have thought it worked but instead, she's trapped in this hazy loop of half-consciousness, barely able to open her eyes or speak.

The dampness of the floor had seeped through the cotton of her dress. Leaving her chilled and shivering.

She can feel herself weakening with every moment that passes, not sure how much longer she can keep fighting, the lack of food and water in her system leaving her at a disadvantage, dehydrated and limp.

She thinks she hears the door squeal open behind her, and the sound fills her with dread. Wondering who it could be now, what she was in for this time.

She forces herself to lie still, concentrating on stilling her shaking limbs as much as she can, praying whoever it is will see she's still out, and leave her be.

Donna hears footsteps approaching and feels panic curl in her chest, she thinks she hears some one call her name but the sound doesn't register. She stands her ground, keeping quiet and hoping they leave.

A hand on her shoulder startles her and she can't help it when she cringes, a whine escaping her throat. She's given the game away now and feels tears sting her closed eyes.

Whoever it is, turns her over, placing a hand under her head and she tries but fails to recoil, her breath catching as she begins to cry.

"No, don't-" she rasps and it takes all her energy just to whisper a those small words.

"Don?"

The nickname catches her attention, and she tries to open her eyes but can't.

"Don, it's Harvey." He whispers, his voice is strained and she can't bring herself to believe it's real.

With a huge effort, her eyes crack open slightly, blurry face coming into view as he looks down on her. It feels surreal and she wonders if she really is losing it.

"Dreaming?" She breathes, she wants to reach out to him, prove he's not real but her hands are still tied.

"No, I'm here." He replies but she's still not sure, doesn't want to let herself go there only to discover the truth.

He notices her struggling weakly and reaches behind her back, loosening the ties easily, and she hisses as her wrists are released.

He gently takes her hand to his face, placing it against his cheek.

"You're going to be okay."

It is him. It's real, he came for her. And she thinks she feels her heart soar with hope, quickly deflated by the realization that now, they're all in danger.

"Harvey-" she whines, and there's a strange mix of emotions in her tone, love, relief, but above all, he detects fear.

"We're getting out of here. Now." He scoops her up and she cries out in pain, her aching body protesting, the sound pains him, "I'm sorry."

She doesn't respond, and he realizes he's losing her now, she's on the verge of passing out and it frightens him.

He quickly navigates his way back to the window he'd entered through. His heart hammering in his chest as adrenaline and the need to keep her safe drive him forward.

Harvey's breath hitches as the corridor comes into sight, speeding up as he approaches their escape route.

When a voice stops him dead in his tracks.

"You didn't think I'd make it that easy for you? Did you Harv?"

Next thing he knows, he's flanked by Anthony and at two other men, staring down the barrel of a gun.

XXX

**This was originally attempted to be two shorter chapters but I accidentally wrote it all together and couldn't resist posting!**

**There's still more to come so stay tuned for more updates, and let me know what you thought of this much anticipated reunion? What do you think's coming next? X**


	6. Maybe

Chapter 6:

It's anyone's guess how long it's been since they were escorted back to this cell.

To Harvey's surprise, Lawson and his men hadn't restrained them, just leaving the pair alone again in the dark and empty room, back where they started.

He'd most likely left them alone to stew, to worry and panic, a mind game that Harvey was trying his best to resist playing.

Donna had acted as a distraction.

She hadn't stirred since he'd found her here to begin with, and the longer she remained still, the more his concern escalated.

He'd laid her down carefully, his back against the wall as he sat on the cold stone of the ground. Her head and upper back were cradled in his lap, a protective hand stroked her hair, just as much of an attempt to soothe her as it was to comfort him.

He struggled to take his eyes off the gash at her hairline, a nasty cut, that left a path of blood down the side of her face, trailing his eyes to her neck and shoulders, where faint bruises, that resembled finger prints, were beginning to bloom.

His hand trails down to her stomach, coming to rest over the barely there bump, and he finds his eyes watering. He wants so badly to protect them but he feels like he's already failed, the notion pierces his chest.

"Donna," he calls, futile but desperate, he needs her to wake up, he needs her to shake her head, roll her eyes, throw some witty remark his way about not worrying, planting a kiss on his cheek, like she would do if she were ok, "please, wake up."

He taps her cheek gently, but receives no response, and he can't help himself from leaning down and brushing his lips against hers caringly, losing himself in the touch for a moment as he imagines them to be home again, lying in bed, instead of trapped here.

It's a few moments later when he sees her fingertips twitch, and he stops breathing at the small movement, "Hey?" he tries again, catching her hand in his, squeezing it tight.

He feels the faintest of grips in response and his heart soars, "Donna, can you hear me?"

"H-" she breathes, "Har – "

Her eyes begin to flutter, before they open slowly, her gaze focusing on his face, "Are – w- safe?" She struggles with breathlessness as she speaks.

His face drops at the question, as he shakes his regretfully, "I'm sorry Don, I tried." His voice breaks and he can't stop the tears from falling.

She's beginning to regain some control over her body, though she still feels helplessly weak, undernourished and wounded, but his presence rejuvenates her, even if only for a little while, she's glad of it,"S' okay." She raises a shaking hand to his chest, "I'm just glad you're h-here, I thought I'd n-ever see you again."

"I'd never stop looking for you, you know that." He reassures her, not realizing what she's actually referring to.

"No, b-before that," she explains, the memory alone bringing back a wave of grief, "I thought you w-were gone, the c-cover story, it leaked before the detectives got to me."

The words hit him like a ton weight of bricks as he understands for the first time all she's been through, the thought of losing her is maddening, so he can only imagine how that must have felt to her.

"I'm so so sorry." He gasps.

"Don't be," she sighs, a small smile tugs at her lips, "I still have you, and that's all that matters."

They're silent for a moment or two, until she sniffles, her hand coming to rest over his on her stomach, "I'm scared, they drugged me, what if-"

"Shh," he pleads, he's just as scared as she is but knows she's been stuck here longer, experiencing God knows what, she's anxious about the pregnancy on a normal day, so he can't begin to imagine how hard this must be for her, "try not to think about it, we're going to get of here."

"What if we don't?" her voice is small, her lip quivering.

He turns the comment over in his head, not wanting his imagination to go there, so he tries to paint a different picture instead.

"When this is all over," he begins, speaking it into existence with as much confidence as he can manage, "We'll finally have that house warming party, we'll move in straight away."

"And tell everyone about the baby?" she asks, closing her eyes as she allows herself to indulge in his fantasy.

"Yes, we'll show them all the nursery, we'll ask Mike and Rachel to be Godparents." He continues.

"They'll love that." She chimes.

"After, we'll take time off work, maybe a couple of weeks, head off on holiday, somewhere hot and beautiful."

"Italy?" she breathes, visiting Venice having always been a dream of hers.

"Yes, we can tour all of Europe if you want, and maybe we'll fall in love with some place, maybe we'll come back for our wedding." He muses.

"That would be amazing," she sighs, picturing it.

"We could wait a little while, after this little one's born, we'll get to share that day with him or her, if it's a girl we could get her a little flower-girl's dress."

"Maybe one that matches mine." Donna adds, "with a mini bouquet of flowers to go with it."

"We'll get to be a family, and then maybe we could even get a dog?" he wonders aloud, "we'll have a backyard now, and I've always wanted one."

"Me too," she agrees, "an Irish red setter, my grandmother had one, they're a perfect family dog."

"That's settled then, we'll get a setter, I'll be out-numbered by redheads." He chuckles.

They let the image settle, neither one willing to return to a reality where it isn't true, they'd live in that dream forever, not wanting to face the challenges still to come, a situation they may not make it out of.

"I promise you," he whispers, "I'm going to make it all happen."

She smiles sadly, touched by the promise but well aware that the chances of it coming true are slim, as she begins to accept their fate with a heavy heart, "I love you, so much."

"I love you more." He replies, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"I object, on the grounds that that's not possible." She quips, and he smiles fondly.

"Over-ruled."

Suddenly the sound of the key in the lock of the door rouses them from their dream like state, as the heavy door swings open, threateningly.

"Well, isn't this cozy."

**Xxx**

**Just a quick and fluffy update to perk up your Saturday! X**


	7. Help

Chapter 7:

"Well, isn't this cozy?"

The snide comment has the desired effect on the pair, Harvey's face flushing red with pure fury, while Donna's body turns to stone, the little color still present draining from her skin. Harvey hasn't been dealing with Lawson as long as she has, and while she'd started out strong willed, his mind games and abuse had worn her down slowly, replacing that strength with an instinctive fear.

Lawson remains silent for a beat, smirking down at them from across the room, his eyes trailing over Donna's body in a way that both petrifies and infuriates them both. She feels Harvey grip her shoulders and winces as he sits her up carefully, she attempts to stand with him but her legs fail her, and she slides her back down along the stone of the wall, coming to sit at his feet, and earning a distraught glance from Harvey.

"Harvey, long time no see," Lawson remarks with feigned friendliness, Harvey watches as he drags the two empty chairs from the other side of the room, screeching them closer to him and Donna, before coming to a halt just a few feet away, "come and sit, we must catch up."

Harvey doesn't respond to the request, instead he takes a calculated step in front of Donna, hiding her with a protective stance. She notices Harvey's body language change, the way his back muscles clench and unclench, visible through the sheer material of his shirt. She finds herself groaning internally, terrified he'll do something stupid, in his own stubborn way, in a futile attempt to protect her. She can't handle him getting hurt, thinking it might just tip her over the edge.

"Don't make me ask twice," Lawson speaks, removing the gun Donna had been threatened with earlier from his pocket, but Harvey still doesn't move, and her insides twist with anxiety as she watches his finger play with the trigger.

"Harvey," she pleads softly, it grabs his attention, and when he catches her eye, she doesn't need to say anymore to make her plea clear, her eyes begging him to do what he says and keep himself safe, for her sake as much as his, "please."

He huffs, biting the inside of his cheek as he gives a curt nod, reluctantly stepping away from her and towards the chair, sitting down, his eyes still trained on her, she looks deathly, and he wonders how long it's been since she ate or drank anything.

Donna startles as the door opens again, Rebecca entering this time, she watches as the girl keeps her arms crossed across her jacket, which is zipped right up to her chin, she thinks she can see her shaking, but doesn't trust her own eyes, a blurry haze beginning to settle over her vision.

Despite all Rebecca has done, Donna can't help but pity her, worrying for her safety and wondering how she ended up mixed up with an ass like Lawson.

The man doesn't seem the take any notice of her, though Harvey eyes her with suspicion and maybe a little confusion.

"Let's get this over with Lawson," Harvey speaks, keeping his voice as level and calm as he can manage, his eyes flickering in Donna's direction every few seconds.

"What's the hurry Harv?" He replies, reclining back in his chair, folding his arms casually, "I've waited for this a long time," he glances in Donna's direction suggestively, "and I want to take my time."

The tone of the comment sends Harvey flying into a rage, he stands abruptly chair, fists balled, "listen you son of bitch, you lay one more finger on her and it'll be the last -"

He stops short as the gun's aim is quickly switched from his own chest, to Donna's, the threat catching in his throat.

"I think you should sit down, or you might just piss me off," he clicks off the safety, leaning forward in the chair, with a menacing glare, "and you don't wanna do that."

Harvey releases a breath, trying to catch Donna's attention and reassure her, but she's petrified, her eyes wide as she stares at the barrel of the gun, her breathing shallow.

Harvey raises his hands in surrender, lowering himself back into the chair.

"Restrain him," he calls at Rebecca, who jumps a little at the command, moving forward hesitantly. Regretfully, Harvey places his hands behind his back, knowing better than to struggle for fear Donna may receive the consequences of his actions, his gaze still trained on his fiancé, her face completely panic stricken.

Lawson stands, wandering closer to Donna, so he stands half way between the two, she pulls her knees into her stomach protectively, wrapping her arms around her legs.

Rebecca takes her chances while Lawson is distracted, whispering in Harvey's ear, "they're loose, play along." She steps back after securing his wrists in a zip tie, he subtly tests his restraints, finding them to be loose enough to slip out of, when the time is right.

"Now, back to business." Lawson leers, looming closer to Donna than before, though the gun is lowered to his side.

"I've thought about this a lot and for a long time," he explains, and Donna squeeze her eyes shut as his feet land in front of her, "how I might get back at you, Harvey, for what you did to me and my partner..."

She gasps when hands grip her shoulders, pulling her to stand on her unsteady feet, she forces her eyes open, noticing how he's shoved the gun back in the pocket of his trousers.

"And then it hit me," he presses her back into the wall, the hold beginning to become uncomfortable, "her."

"Please," Harvey pleads, he glances at Rebecca, who subtly shakes her head no, not yet, but he wants to know god damn when, "Please, don't hurt her, do what you want with me, but I'm begging you-"

"Shut up," he spits, shoving Donna back against the wall harshly, so she omits a cry, silencing the lawyer, "you don't get a say in this, Specter."

His callous hands trace the length of her arms, one moving upwards, while the other travels down, and she feels her chest constrict with disgust. She coils her body away and into the wall as much as she can, wishing she could melt into the stone to escape him.

Donna can't stop a sob from bubbling up in her throat, she trails her gaze over to Harvey.

Her Harvey.

She doesn't want him to see this, whatever's coming next, she knows it can't be good, but doesn't want her mind to go there, trying to focus solely on him, a kind of distraction from her terror. But every time she catches his eye, all she sees his her own terror mirrored back at her.

"Harv-" she whispers, and the way she says his name alone, tells him everything, all she wants to say. So much love and sadness portrayed in one quiet syllable.

He pulls his hands apart quickly, tired of waiting for whatever plan that girl has, he needs to act now.

When suddenly, a gunshot rings loudly reverberating around the room.

**X**

**X**

**X**

**X**

**X**

**X**

His ears ring, his heart almost stops as he sees Anthony fall to the ground, blood covering his left shoulder, where the bullet struck, he yells in pain but doesn't release his grip on Donna, dragging her down with him and she hits the floor hard.

Harvey jumps from his chair, detecting the source of the shot.

Rebecca stands, her jacket open, gun in her shaking hands, pointed still at Anthony's body.

"Get her, we need to leave now!" She yells at him, and he lurches forward. Donna had dragged herself away from the man's hold, before doing so, she had swiftly removed the gun from his pocket, holding it tight as she rests the palm of her free hand against the wall, attempting to struggle to her feet.

She leans against Harvey as he reaches her, holding her up by the elbows, as she composes herself, "we need to go." She hisses, "I can walk just - go." Adrenaline pumps through her veins, granting her the ability to control her own movements again, desperate to escape as quickly as possible.

He keeps hold of her arm, as they follow Rebecca through the corridors of the warehouse, they're almost out when another of Lawson's goons comes tumbling around the corner shouting after them.

Before either Harvey or Rebecca can react, Donna swivels round in her bare feet, gun pointed in the man's direction, she fires one shot, just above the attackers head, skimming the hairs of his head, a move meant to frighten, not injure. Her perfect aim has the desired effect, as the man is sent tumbling to the ground, in fear.

It takes Harvey a second to get over his disbelief, before her tugs at her arm, urging her to follow, fast.

They burst out of the warehouse and into the surrounding woods, the dim light of dawn cast across the scene.

"Follow me, there's a car-" he shouts at Rebecca, who runs after him, the three escapees cutting through the trees and bushes to get to the road faster.

As they edge closer to the car, he feels Donna slow, her weight against his becoming more significant as her feet begin to fumble, and she trips, grunting as she grabs hold of his arm, falling to her knees.

Her head is spinning on end, her stomach tied up in knots, the fresh air had hit her hard, and while well needed, the exposure was something she hadn't had in forty-eight hours or more.

Every ounce of adrenaline seemed to drain from her body, replaced by total, utter dread and panic, she felt like she was dying, her body weak and non-responsive. She tried to reason with her own mind, begging her legs to carry her those last few steps to safety but it was no use. She couldn't breathe, convinced she wouldn't make it.

"Don?" Harvey kneels down next to her, she heaves, nothing leaving her empty stomach, "Donna we need to get out of here."

"Can't- m-" she struggles, and her breathing is pitiful, "help-" she chokes.

He's never seen her like this before, completely defenceless and begging for help. She's usually so strong, even when she'd had worries in the past, although she'd accepted his help, she never really asked for it.

Her plea frightens him, knowing how terrified she must be to talk like that.

"You're okay," tries to assure her, cupping her face with his hands, and bringing her teary, glassy eyes to meet his, "you're going to be okay, trust me."

She does trust him, but struggles to believe it, shaking her head as her chest burns.

He hears distant voices shouting in the direction of the warehouse and panics, he wants to help her, calm her down, but they need to keep moving.

He scoops her up quickly and in an awkward position, and races in the direction of the car, where Rebecca's already waiting in the driver's seat, the engine running.

He tumbles into the back seat with Donna, cradling her close as Rebecca steps on the gas, speeding away from the hell they'd just escaped.

"Hey," he calls to Donna, whose eyes had begun to flutter closed, her skin clammy and cold, "hey, listen to me Paulsen." The order is a weak attempt at strength and she forces her eyes to open for him, she gasps for air, suddenly feeling trapped again in the confined space of the car.

"You're safe now, we're safe." He pleads with her to listen, watching as she struggles to compose herself, "come on, breathe for me."

She tries to copy him, gulping in deep breaths but it doesn't work.

She can't escape the possibility of what might have been, her mind still trapped back in that cell.

"Please Donna." He tries again.

"M' sorry-" she chokes, "tryin-" but she can't get the words out.

"Remember what we talked about," he begins, trying to distract her from the fear, "about the house, the wedding, the baby."

She nods, her breath hitching, as she tries her hardest to gain control.

He keeps talking, reciting their plans back to her until the fright begins to subside, "we're going to do all that, I promised you, and I won't let you down."

"Love y-" she breathes, the smallest of smiles playing on her lips.

She's still crying quietly, even though she's slightly calmer than before, "shush," soothes, tracing a comforting pattern up and down the length of her arms.

"It's okay, try to relax." He tries, he struggles to keep a panic attack of his own at bay, the sight of her so distraught paining him to say the least. But he forces himself to zone his thoughts in on helping her.

It's almost ten minutes later before her cries subside and not long after when she slips into a deep sleep, her body tired and her mind defeated.

**Xxx**

**Ooooh this one was tough to write but so rewarding in the end!**

**They escaped woooooo, finally, I'm so glad that things will get to be a little more light hearted now.**

**There's a few more chapters on the way x**


	8. Home

Chapter 8:

Harvey isn't sure how long they've been driving for, mostly in silence. Every minute feels drawn out, his eyes never leave Donna's pale, unmoving face, as Rebecca drives them back towards the city. He shifts uncomfortably, glancing out the window quickly and spotting the outline of Manhattan in the distance.

"Rebecca, is it?" He speaks quietly at first, he hadn't been sure how to break the ice.

She flickers her gaze to his momentarily in the rear-view mirror, nodding curtly.

"Thank you, for risking yourself to help us, I don't know what I would have done if something had happened to her." He replies, meaning it, he doesn't know much about the girl, or her involvement with Lawson, but he's grateful to it nonetheless.

"I wish I'd helped her sooner," she whispers, and Harvey detects a sincere trace of regret in her tone, "It's the least I could have done to help you, I don't deserve your thanks."

There's a tense silence that spans over a couple of long minutes, before Rebecca speaks again, "Is she ok?" she asks, nawing at her lip anxiously.

"I -" he's not sure he knows the answer to that question, so he resigns himself to the only truth he's sure of, "she's strong."

"We need to go straight to the police," Rebecca states, "my aim wasn't good enough to kill him, he could have escaped by now, and if they don't move soon-"

"No," Harvey interrupts, he has a one track mind right now, his main focus making sure Donna is ok, "we need to go to a hospital-" he looks back down at his partner, she looks an inch from death and the thought makes his throat close up.

"You're both still in danger if Lawson is at large, most of his gang are just as bad as him, if you think we're safe just because we've escaped the warehouse you're not as smart as I took you for-" she snaps, and a harsh retort is on the tip of Harvey's tongue when he detects the faintest of wavers in the girl's voice. She's clearly scared and he can't blame her.

"Listen, I'll call my friends from the force, have them meet us at the hospital," she doesn't look convinced so he presses again, "please, she needs help." He pleads with her.

Rebecca hesitates for a moment, mulling it over in her head, before giving a short nod, reaching into her pocket and handing him her mobile phone.

He gets into contact with Ross, who he informs of their current situation, including everything from the Eric's betrayal, suddenly remembering that the traitor cop is still locked in the trunk of the car, to the circumstances of their escape from Lawson's grasp.

"We're heading to the hospital now, Donna's -" he struggles to complete his sentence yet again, "she needs to see a doctor as soon as possible, could you meet us there?"

"Harvey, you can't go to the hospital, or out in public at all, for that matter," He hears Ross sigh as he attempts to formulate a plan, "remember, to the public, you're still considered missing, and if you show up somewhere, people are going to recognize you, you're location will be disclosedand then, unfortunately there's a good chance one of Lawson's associates will come after you both-"

"Shit," Harvey hisses, he hadn't considered that angle, "so what do we do?"

"Head to your place," Ross explains, "I'll meet you there myself with a few others, I have contacts with a good Doctor, who I'll also have meet us at your place to check Donna out."

Harvey gulps, reluctant to agree, but he can't see any other choice, taking Donna to the hospital would put her at risk again, "Ok, we should be there in less than half an hour, I'm trusting you Ross, please, don't let me down." Again, he resists from adding.

"I promise Harvey."

And with that he hangs up the phone, and he rehashes the plan to Rebecca.

It's just approaching six am when they arrive at Harvey's building. Ross and his squad meeting the three escapees in the underground car park.

They take both Rebecca and Eric into custody, Harvey parting with the promise to represent Rebecca. However, Ross seems optimistic that she'll receive a deal, based on her help in freeing the two hostages, as well as her willingness to give details on Lawson's illegal dealings.

It takes a little over half an hour for Ross' friend, Dr. Laura, to check Donna over. Harvey sitting by her side at their bed, through the entire process.

"She's severely dehydrated, and I'm guessing has some of the lingering effects of a concussion, though you mention her head wound was inflicted at least twelve hours ago, so there's a chance the worst of those symptoms have subsided." Dr.Laura explains.

Harvey only nods, still waiting on baited breath, they're not in the clear yet.

"As for the baby, I've not been able to detect any signs that there's anything wrong," she smiles reassuringly, continuing to step up some of her equipment, "once we can get Donna back on track, hydrated and fed, I don't anticipate there being any further issues."

Harvey gasps out a small cry of relief, rubbing a hand across his face as he feels like he's breathing again for the first time in days.

They're going to be ok.

Both of them.

"She's been out for a long time.." he muses.

"It's not unusual, she's had a very difficult few days, it's a lot of strain for the body and mind to be put under, so the more rest she gets the better. But make sure to have her drink plenty of water when she wakes, and if she can manage, she should really eat something."

He watches as Dr. Laura sets up an IV drip, then, injecting Donna with a clear liquid.

It's a few moments later when she begins to pack away her things.

She leaves medication with Harvey, and a set of instructions for how to look after Donna. Advising him to call her, should any issues arise.

"Thank you so much, Doctor, I really appreciate the help."

"Please, call me Laura," she insists, "and I'm more than happy to help."

"There was one more thing I wanted to speak with you about," the Doctor says, setting down her bag on the work top of the kitchen.

"What is it?" Harvey asks, rolling back his shoulders to release the tension he feels there.

"You mentioned that Donna had been struggling with some anxiety surrounding her pregnancy, which isn't uncommon, however, the situation you described, in the woods, after you escaped, worries me."

Harvey swallows as he nods for her to continue.

"She's been through something incredibly traumatic, as have you," Laura gives him, a sympathetic smile, "I have a contact, a counselor, who you both may want to consider seeing, particularly Donna, seeing as she's already been experiencing some difficulties, I wouldn't want her to put any more stress on her mind and body."

"Thank you," Harvey replies sincerely, "I'll speak to her about it."

"Don't be alarmed if she is still quite stressed when she wakes, or in the following days, but like I said, do call me, if any issues arise."

The Doctor leaves them alone, the quiet of the large apartment somewhat deafening to him. And he can't help but feel on edge, he knows there are police stationed around the building, including outside their front door, but until he receives the news of Lawson's arrest, he can't allow himself to fully relax.

He wanders back into their bedroom, Donna still sleeping peacefully, the IV drip slowly feeding her the nutrients she so desperately needs. He removed his clothes, throwing the dirty shirt and pants into a wash basket as he rummages for a clean t-shirt and pair of boxers.

He fetches a wash-cloth from the bath room, filling a small bowl with warm water and soap, before heading back to Donna's side.

He gently smooths the material over her face, neck and chest, cleaning the dirt and blood from her worn skin. Moving to her arms and hands next.

When he's finished, he climbs into the bed next to her, his hand slipping into hers, while his other arm drapes carefully over her waist.

And though he fights the drowsiness that takes hold, he can't help it when his tired mind slips away from him, as he joins her in a deep, well needed sleep.

Donna hears herself groan as she begins to wake. And the first thing which grabs her attention is how comfortable she is.

After days of either sitting stiffly in a hard chair, or lying on a damp, cold floor, the soft warmth of the bed almost feels foreign, yet completely welcome.

She doesn't open her eyes, her head still feeling heavy, a low throb beginning a slow crescendo in her temple. She takes a deep breath through her nose, the smell known too her, and the familiarity helps her to relax.

The sensations in her body are similar to suffering from a rough hangover and she casts her mind back, searching for any wisp of memory she can locate.

She remembers Harvey and Lawson in a stand-off, Lawson holding her against the wall, hands everywhere, the sound of a gunshot.

Running.

An endless amount of running.

But then it all fades, and all she can recall is a lingering sense of fright and panic in the depths of her chest.

Donna opens her eyes slowly, cringing slightly at the daylight streaming through the window panes of their bedroom, wishing she could remember how exactly she came to be here. She observes herself, a wire and needle attached to her arm.

She looks to her left, Harvey's sleeping form next to her, his forehead nuzzled against her shoulder and his arm draped across her waist, she only then notices his hand loosely holding hers and her heart flutters.

She can't stop a rush of tears, slipping from her eyes with ease as she quietly cries. Overwhelmed with relief and happiness to be home and safe.

Here in his arms where she always wants to remain.

The sound of her stirring rouses Harvey, and his eyes flicker open, coming to rest on the side profile of her face. The sun is behind her, streams of light peeking over the curves of her features and it takes him a moment to realize she's upset.

"Hey," he whispers, his voice gruff with sleep, he props himself up on his elbow and looks down at her, "shush, we're ok now, we're home."

To his surprise she smiles up at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks, "I know," she replies, "I just never thought- I'm so glad -" she chokes on the sentiment, being here, safe, with him, is a reality she thought she'd never experience again.

"I understand," he answers, leaning down to place a kiss against her forehead, "you're ok, both of you." He brushes a hand across her stomach.

Her breath catches, "we are?" She asks, disbelieving, placing her hand over his, she had almost resigned herself to the possibility that they wouldn't make it.

"You are." He smiles, and she smiles back, brighter this time, "how do you feel, does anywhere hurt?" He inquires, remembering Doctor Laura's instructions.

"My head, and my whole torso," she admits, running her fingers across the bruising along her neckline, "I feel drained."

"You're dehydrated, and most likely still recovering from a concussion, I'm going to go and get your meds, and a drink, do you think you could eat something?" He asks gently.

Most other mornings the answer would have been no, straight away. But at the suggestion she feels her stomach growl, not sure when the last time she ate even was.

"Yes, please." She replies, and her helps her sit forward, before heading for the kitchen.

The morning had melted into the late evening when the pair find themselves glued to one another, her back leaning against his chest in her position between his legs. The warm soapy water of the bath soothing both their aching muscles, and she's not sure she could formulate a more perfect definition of bliss. So far, she'd managed to keep the traumatic memories of the past few days at bay, pushing them down and burying them deep when they began to rise in her subconscious, not quite ready to deal with the fall out yet, just happy to be home and safe, with him.

The same turmoil plays on his mind, although he won't push her, they still haven't discussed what exactly happened while she was stuck there, and the unknown of what might have happened to her curls in his stomach like a poisonous snake.

He feels her begin to turn, the water sloshing slightly as she comes to face him, propped up on her knees, as she takes him in.

"Okay?" he asks, tucking a strand of wet hair behind her ear, as she leans into the small touch.

"More than," she replies and it's true in the moment.

Donna moves forward again, her legs coming to straddle his hips and he hisses as they brush against each other, eliciting a small gasp from his fiancé.

"Is that a**_very big_**bar of soap you've got down there, or are you just happy to see me?" she whispers against his ear, lips tracing his jaw.

He grunts, trying to control himself, "Donna, we don't have to-" he wants this, but doesn't want to push her.

"Relax," she coos, and before he can ask if she's sure, she's sinking down on him with a low moan.

She's craved this, being close to him again, the closest she could possibly be, and it's like for the first time that her mind begins to believe that he's here with her, he's safe, he's alive, and they're home.

A string of small moans fall from her lips as she rocks slowly, a melody to his ears that compels him trail his mouth along every dip and peak of her chest, the taste of vanilla shampoo tickling his tongue.

It doesn't take them long to reach their climaxes, even at the steady pace, taking their time and appreciating each other's embrace all the more.

"I love you." He breathes against her neck, kissing his way back to her mouth.

She comes undone with a faint, "Harvey," and he captures her lips in his, tumbling after her only moments later.

Tomorrow they'll face reality again, but for tonight at least, all they need is each other.

XXX

**Hope you enjoyed this much deserved fluff! Only about a couple more chapters to go before I wrap this one up! X**


	9. Trust

Chapter 9:

They're wrapped up in bed following their long bath, Harvey sitting up and leaning against the head board, his laptop open and sitting on the bed next to them, a movie acting as background noise.

He'd begun to notice very quickly that the quiet seemed to put her on edge, something about silence grated on her, and she hadn't had to mention it for Harvey to pick up on it. So, without asking, he'd put one of her favorite films up on Netlix, in the hopes that it would soothe her into a well needed sleep.

Donna's curled against his side. Her head rests in the crook of his hip, one hand in his. She's dressed in one of his shirts, damp hair pulled up in a bun. He draws a light trace of his finger-tips over her body, alternating between an up and down motion on her arm, to nonsense patterns on her back. It isn't long before he notices her breathing start to deepen, her eyes closing as she begins to fall asleep.

She hadn't been very talkative throughout the course of the day, unsurprising, considering how drained she must be, but still unsettling considering this is Donna. She seemed trapped in her own mind, knowing that the same thoughts that play on his must trouble her as well.

They still hadn't received word of Lawson's arrest. And the longer this wait went on, the more concerned they both grew.

A sharp knock at the front door catches him off guard, and he flinches, hoping it didn't wake Donna. With a glance down he sees she's still sleeping, and slips out of her hold carefully, gently placing a pillow under her head in place of his body. He's tiptoeing towards the kitchen when another loud series of knocks rings through the apartment, and he hears her stir and sit forward.

"What was that?" she croaks, her eyes full of sleep as she frowns.

"There's someone at the door," he explains and he sees the worry flash across her face, "stay in bed, I'll take care of it."

He hopes she'll listen to him but isn't surprised when he hears the padding of her feet on the wooden floor.

Harvey opens the door to Ross and a female police officer who introduces herself as Leanna. Ross looks tired and regretful, Leanna, annoyingly bright and cheery.

"Well?" Harvey asks, eyes wide as he wills them to deliver good news.

They pause, and Ross pales, "Would it be alright if we came in?" Asks Leanna, with a closed month smile, and Harvey's heart sinks as he leads them inside.

"What's going on?" Donna's voice is quiet as she stands in the threshold of their bedroom door.

"Ms Paulsen, how are you doing?" Leanna inquires sweetly, attempting to make nice.

Donna ignores the greeting, "Did you arrest him?" she asks again, desperate for information.

Leanna sighs, as Ross remains quiet, "Why don't you both have a seat and we'll fill you in?"

It's half an hour later when the pair of detectives have finished explaining the situation.

By the time forces had reached the warehouse, the place was empty, every one of Lawson's gang was gone without a trace. Based on Rebecca's claim that her shot only grazed his shoulder, there is reason to believe he's still alive.

And they're doing all they can to track him down. Having recently received a tip that he may attempt to cross the border into Canada.

Donna had remained silent the whole way through their recanting of the events, her heart in her mouth as she curled back into the sofa. They're not in the clear yet, he's still out there and to her that means they're still in danger, despite the reassurance of the officers.

"So, what happens now?" Harvey asks, he's just as concerned as Donna, but tries to hold himself together, "Do we continue on with this cover story or…?"

"We believe there's no need to do so," Leanna explains, "With Lawson wounded and with the whole of Manhattan police on his tail, it's highly unlikely that he will risk returning to the city, and even if he were to do so, he wouldn't get far."

"We'll release a statement tomorrow which dissolves the cover story, you can get in touch with family and friends tonight and let them know if you wish." Ross speaks.

Harvey nods his agreement, "What about security?"

"We'll give you both our numbers to ring in the unlikely case of an emergency, but like I said, we really don't believe there's anything to worry about, as well as that, we'll contact the owner of this building and have security measures upped, just for your own peace of mind." Leanna offers.

Harvey sees them both to the door, thanking them again, though he's not entirely sure what for at this point.

His frustration at the performance of the NYPD is overwhelming, and more than a few times during that meeting he had to contain himself from exploding. But he didn't want to freak Donna out, to him, her state of mind was paramount. And he sees that as a testament to how much he's matured and grown within their relationship.

He returns to the kitchen, finding Donna exactly where he left her. She's sitting in the corner of the couch, her knees drawn into her stomach and her arms wrapped around her legs. She doesn't look up or acknowledge him as he approaches her.

"Come on," he coaxes but she doesn't budge, "We should get back to bed, you need to sleep."

It's like she's in a world of her own and her eyes remain trained on a fixed spot across the room, staring into nothingness.

He places a hand gently on her shoulder but to his surprise she flinches, her eyes meet his then and they're full of concern.

"Sorry," she mumbles, allowing his hand to rest on her arm without startling this time.

"Donna," he whispers, kneeling on the ground next to her and placing a kiss on her bare shin, "Talk to me Don."

She sniffles, twitching her nose, an attempt to resist tears, "Harvey, I'm scared." It's difficult to admit but she lets it slip nonetheless.

"I know, it's okay to be scared, but I need you to trust me," He prompts, he coaxes her to look him in the eyes, but she doesn't, her hands balling into fists so tightly that he fears she might draw blood, "don't you trust me?" he asks, and his voice his filled with disbelief and laced with a hint of hurt.

"I want to," she whispers, "I do." She confirms, but she almost doesn't sound convinced, "you don't get it."

"God damn it Donna, you have to help me to," he begs, he tries to keep his frustration at bay, it stems from a place of care but it still comes across as anger, he's still on the floor, and his position makes him feel ten times more vulnerable, "tell me what's going through your head Donna, I'm not as good a mind reader as you are."

She takes a shaky breath inwards, "it's all too much, my head can't take it," she gasps, "the past week, first I'm told I lost you, then I have you again," she smiles slightly, "they tell me we're safe, all of us, I trust them and then –" She struggles to express herself, "then I was taken, away from safety, away from you. Then I had no one, no one left to trust, not knowing if I'd ever see you again, not knowing if you were even safe, because if I wasn't then maybe you weren't and I just – I feel like I'm breaking-"

A heartfelt sob rocks her, she's had to rely on trusting others for the past week, and she's been let down at every turn. Nobody's word means anything to her anymore, and even though she wants to believe him, to give in to that false notion that everything will be okay, she can't. Not anymore.

He feels battered by her revelation, knowing from his own childhood trauma how it can feel when all trust is lost. And in a lot of ways, what she's feeling isn't all that different from his own abandonment issues. He hates that she has to feel that way, understanding just how earth-shattering it can be to a person's composure.

"Okay," he breathes, lifting off the ground to join her on the coach, slowly wrapping an arm around her, relieved when she doesn't flinch, but leans towards his touch, burying her head in his chest, "then I won't promise you that everything will be alright, because I know, it's too hard for you to believe right now."

Harvey lets her cry for a little while, waiting calmly until she begins to quieten down before speaking again, wanting her to hear clearly what he has to say.

Her breathing slows as she relaxes, and he places a thumb beneath her chin, pulling her gaze to meet his.

"But let me tell you this," he begins, wiping a stray tear from her cheek, "there hasn't been a day, that's gone by since I met you, that I haven't made every effort to keep you safe, even though I know you don't always need it. I allowed myself to be taken out of control this time, and I wish, I really wish I hadn't, I'm sorry," he pauses, "but I won't ever make that mistake again –"

"Harvey wait," she interrupts him, guilt swirling in her own stomach as she realizes where he's going with this, "I'm sorry, I never meant for it to sound like I blamed you for any of this, I don't." she confirms, her eyes boring into him, compelling him to understand, "it's just been really difficult, and I know I'm strong, but Lawson played with my head, I hate to admit it but he got to me, and none of that is your fault, it's just hard to come back from - to go back to normal." She explains, and he nods his understanding.

"I know it's hard to believe me, I get it, but I need you to hear me when I say that nothing bad is ever going to happen to you, or this baby again, if I can help it," he promises, and the faintest flicker behind her eyes tells him that she might just be starting to trust him, "we're going to move out of this apartment before the week is out, and into our new home, a new address, a new beginning, our own place."

She closes her eyes, imagining the life they had planned together, the notion helping to drown her fear.

"Do you feel any better, at all?" he prompts gently.

She takes a moment to consider the question, honestly not sure of her own state of mind, "Yes, I think so. But, it's going to take some time Harvey."

"I know, and I'm here, always, you're never going to shake me Paulsen." He answers, with a kiss to her temple.

"I wouldn't even dream of trying, Specter."

**Xxx**

**Heyyy, only a couple more chapters left! Hope you liked this latest one, and thank you all for the lovely reviews xx**


	10. Falter

Chapter 10:

2 months later.

Donna struts down the halls of Specter Litt Wheeler Williams, a smile on her face as she spots her fiancé, heading in her direction. Her white dress accentuates her small, rounded bump, it hasn't been long since she started showing, and she's made no effort to disguise it.

"Harvey." She greets, meeting him half way as they stop among the hustle and bustle of their workplace.

He pecks a kiss on her cheek, a grin plastered on his face when she blushes, partially scolding him with her eyes, she's always been slightly opposed to displays of affection at work, only slightly.

"Feeling as good as you look, I hope?" he quips and she purses her lips in a failed attempt at suppressing laughter.

"That depends," she replies, shrugging her shoulders with sarcasm, "how good do I look? 'Cause I feel pretty great."

"I was wrong then," he sighs, and she raises her eyebrows, "you look _amazing_."

Donna beams back at him, shaking her head, "what do you want Specter, I'm busy."

"Just checking up on you, both of you." he ghosts a finger along the curve of her stomach, "need anything?""We're doing just fine," she assures him, glancing over his shoulder she spots a young man at a secretary's desk, staring at her. He looks away quickly when she makes eye-contact, "I was just on my way back from the file room…"

She trails off, upon flickering her gaze back to the desk she notices him staring at her again, looking her up and down. She catches his eye for the second time, narrowing her eyes in a deathly glare, and if looks could kill…

"What was that for?" Harvey asks, mistaking the look for having been directed at him.

"It's nothing just that guy in the grey shirt," she begins, rolling her eyes, "he keeps staring at me." She mumbles.

They'd often received judgement since going public with their relationship, and especially since her pregnancy became noticeable, she'd been keen to ignore those who gossiped or stared, but he wasn't on the same page.

"What's your problem," Harvey yells, at the man, who glances up at him from his desk, he looks bored by the encounter, which only angers the senior partner further, "you got a name?"

"Tom Fields." The blonde man replies in a monotone voice, his eyes flicker back to Donna and Harvey feels his face flush, ready to explode until her feels her hand rest on his shoulder, a light squeeze of warning.

"Get out of my sight." He fumes, and the employee stands, walking off in no hurry.

"I wish you'd learn to let these things go." She whispers.

He decides to change the subject, "Are you excited to have everyone over tonight?" he questions.

They had invited their colleagues over for dinner and drinks, a long over-due house warming party, combined with a baby shower of sorts. They'd put the party off for a couple of months, giving them both the chance to recover and heal from their ordeal. He finds his eyes trailing up to the small scar at her hairline, an image of the nasty wound it used to be flashing across his mind.

"Yes, I can't wait. What time does Mike and Rach's flight get in at?" she asks, the thoughts of seeing their best friends again elating her.

"They should be getting in around now," he answers, smiling, glad he managed to swerve away from an impending argument, "Mike said they'd call by the office this afternoon and see us."

"Perfect," Donna replies, glancing at her watch as she remembers she still has plenty of work to do, "We'd better get back to doing our jobs, Harv, I'll see you later." She places a kiss on his lips, deciding to throw caution to the wind, and give a big **_fuck you_** to all who judge them for their relationship.

"Make sure you tell me if you need anything."

"Will do."

And with that she struts off, Harvey eyeing the sway of her hips longingly as she goes.

It's over an hour later when Donna steps out of the revolving door of their building, she takes a well needed deep breath, the fresh air a craving she just couldn't beat these days.

Ever since the ordeal with Lawson, she'd found herself more inclined to feel claustrophobic, and while the feeling wasn't always serious, being confined inside for too long often made her feel uneasy, needing to step out into the open for a few minutes to calm her nerves. The counsellor she'd been seeing had reassured her, time and time again that it was completely normal, to be expected actually.

The day is warm thankfully, a light breeze tickling her skin, she relishes in the moment of peace, the white noise of NYC somehow comforting to her. Soothing her to know she's surrounded by others, safe, in her home town. She'd taken huge strides in the last month to get back to normal, so much so that she rarely felt the need for an appointment with her counsellor anymore. Although she still had small falters, moments when she almost loses control, but she's learned to manage them and she's better, now. Or so she tells herself.

A low rumbling in her stomach prompts her to be pulled from her day dream, realizing it's lunch time. Ever since her morning sickness had disappeared, her appetite had returned tenfold, eating for two to make up for all that time spent too nauseous to take a single bite.

Her feet carry her two blocks down the street, heading in the direction of her favorite café. A cinnamon bun on her mind. Not her usual choice, however cinnamon had become a constant craving for her these days, the only thing that would satisfy her hunger.

She stands in the queue, people watching in the crowded coffee shop as she waits her turn. There's a family sitting across the room at a window, a mom and dad, a toddler perched on the dad's knee, sound asleep against his chest, while the parents chat quietly, throwing admiring looks the child's way every so often.

Her heart takes a leap as she realizes that, that scene, will be their life soon, their own family.

Donna continues her gaze over the room, when suddenly, a familiar face catches her eye.

She frowns, immediately recognizing the blonde as the young man whom she and Harvey had berated earlier, thinking it to be a strange coincidence that he should be here. She tries to shake the paranoid thoughts from her mind, rationalizing, that though this little café has always been a hidden treasure of hers, and not somewhere that many of the staff frequented, it's entirely possible that some do, and she just never took notice before.

She pays for her order, taking the small brown bag with a polite smile. Upon turning however, her skin begins to crawl, the man, what did he say his name was? Something Fields? Was staring at her, again.

Unlike before, when she glared back with a disapproving look, he didn't avert his gaze. Instead, he stared back intently, a smirk on his lips that set Donna on edge.

She continued forward, her shoulders tense as she moved out onto the street, taking long strides back towards the firm.

Again, she tried to rationalize, maybe he was just being friendly – _creepy more like. _But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't formulate any casual excuse as to why he would behave like that.

She came to a halt at a pedestrian crossing, glancing over her shoulder self-consciously. Her stomach curled tight when to her surprise, she spotted him again, approaching the crossing, approaching her. Only a few feet away now.

Donna could feel her heart hammering in her chest, _was he following her? And if so, why?_

So far, it appeared as though he wanted her to notice him, _maybe a ploy to intimidate her? Or possibly just some creep?_ Both scenarios made her feel ill.

The sign changed to green and she scurried across the road, picking up her pace as she headed back to work, to safety.

Another look over her shoulder confirmed her suspicions, he was still following her, still staring.

She could feel her breath pick up as she pushed through the disabled entrance of the firm, the revolving door would slow her down too much, she finds the reception to be quiet, with most people probably out for lunch at this time. Taking purposeful strides, she approachs the security desk, informing them of the situation with as much composure as she could muster and asking them to check everyone's ID before allowing them entrance to the elevators.

Before the security guard can give her an answer, she hurries off, jumping into the closest lift and pressing the button quickly before anyone else could join her.

She watches the numbers rise slowly as she makes her way upwards to the fiftieth floor, with every second that drags by, she's sure she can feel the room getting smaller, the four walls closing in, her heart hammering in her ears.

"Relax." Donna whispers to herself, closing her eyes and pretending to be somewhere else, not trapped in this small space, her legs feel like jelly, as she grips the metal hand rail.

The ding of the elevator alerts her, and she pushes herself off the wall and out onto her floor, it's quiet, the receptionist's desk empty, as she hurriedly heads for her office, swinging herself around the corner and colliding with two others.

"Donna?" It's Rachel's voice that meets her ears, there's a hand on her forearm, steadying her, she glances up to see it's Mike, "is everything alright?" Rachel asks, her beautiful brown eyes deep with concern.

"Fine." She replies curtly, forcing a stiff smile, Donna moves away, slightly stumbling into her office until she's resting her palm against the desk for support, she hears Mike and Rachel following.

"Donna you're shaking," Mike says, Rachel stays by the door as Mike moves forward to place a hand on her shoulder, she flinches at the contact, "what happened?"

She just shakes her head, remaining silent and Mike and Rachel share a confused glance.

"I'll get Harvey," Rachel states before rushing off in the direction of his office.

Mike tries again to help, resting a hand on her back but she recoils away yet again, "Come on Donna, you should sit-"

"Stop!" she yells, suddenly lifting her head to face him, her eyes wide and angry, "I said I'm fine – so just leave me be!"

Mike raises his hands to his head, palms turned outward, her outburst taking him by surprise and worrying him further, but he gives her space.

She pulls herself around to the other side of the desk, sinking into her chair and leaning her head back as she sucks in a long breath, "I'm sorry," she chokes, and Mike can see she's holding back tears.

He approaches slowly, kneeling down in front of her "It's alright," he replies, and she looks down at him, the redhead reaching for his hand in truce.

He remembers how badly she'd suffered, particularly in the week following their return home, that was the last time he saw her this way. The details of whatever her and Harvey went through still unknown to him and his wife.

"I didn't mean to snap at you." she whispers, he gives her hand a squeeze and shakes his head.

"Don't worry about it, I can be a real ass sometimes," she gives a halfhearted laugh at his attempt to cheer her up, but then her face falls again, "do you want to tell me what happened?"

She swallows, a lot more happening in her mind than is visible on the surface, "I think there's someone following me, _I know there is._" She corrects herself.

"Do you know them –" he inquires, frowning.

"No but –"

Just at that moment Rachel returned, Harvey following closely behind her.

"What's going on?" he inquires, stepping around Mike to perch on the window sill next to Donna's chair.

"Donna thinks someone might be following her," Mike explains before Donna has the chance to speak.

"_No_," she corrects, "I know someone is. Harvey, it was that guy from this morning, something-Fields? He followed me out of the firm for lunch and the whole way back –" she stops but quickly jumps in again as Harvey opens his mouth, a rational explanation on the tip of his tongue, "and no, it wasn't a coincidence, he wanted to be seen, he was staring and he had this look on his face –"

She pauses again, the memory making her uncomfortable, and she swallows trying to keep that suffocating feeling in her throat at bay.

"Ok," Harvey nods, though she's not sure he looks fully convinced, the disregard grates on her, "I'll look into it." He promises, looking at Mike who nods his agreement to help.

"I can skim the employment records, see if he's even employed here." Mike offers, with another squeeze of Donna's hand before he's standing.

"I'll help," Rachel chimes, leaving the office with Mike, taking it as a good enough excuse to leave the couple to talk in private.

There's a silence when they're alone, neither one sure how to break it. There's a lingering sense of anger that rattles in Donna's mind, the way he didn't trust her to know that something wasn't right. He'd done so a lot lately, when the trauma made everything seem heightened, and she needed to be brought back to reality, but this didn't count as one of those times. She knows what she saw, how she felt, and it was real, without a shadow of a doubt.

"You want to go home?" he asks softly, and he knows he treading on dangerous ground here, knows that she's not impressed with how he handled things.

"You know what I want Harvey." She bites back, looking up to him, eyes compelling him to understand.

"Donna we can't run to them for every little thing, they won't take us seriously anymore, they –"

"Oh ok," she scoffs, "a stranger, and might I remind you, someone who could very possibly be one of Lawson's men, starts stalking me, and that's not information worthy of taking to the police?"

He knows it's a trap, not sure how to respond, "How can we know that for sure?" he reasons, and the flash in her eyes makes him regret it instantly.

She leans back, lips pursed, and head shaking slightly, "Funny," she breathes, but the tone suggests the opposite of humor, "I remember a time when you trusted my judgement –"

"That's not fair and you know it!" he whines.

"Ever since the situation with Lawson, you've treated me, not only like I'm made of glass, but as though I'm not the same person._ I am still Donna_." She emphasizes every word, "What happened to me doesn't change that." She pleads with him to hear her.

But his eyes don't change, if anything all she sees written on his face is pity, "I know that Donna –"

"Yeah?" she challenges standing from her chair and grabbing her purse from the desk, "Then why don't you start acting like it."

She moves past him, dodging his attempt to grab at her hand, "Where are you going?" he presses.

"Home." She hisses.

"Should you really be going on your own –"

"**Oh**!" she laughs incredulously, and he sighs, "_Now_ you want to take this seriously?"

"I'm just trying to –"

"Forget it." She replies with an icy undertone that has his chest tightening, and before he can protest she leaves him, alone in her office, nothing but the echo of her words to keep him company.

**XXX**

**Heyyyyy you're in luck! Turns out it's going to take a few more chapters to wrap this up, I underestimated the length of the plot lol. Anyway, hope you're all still enjoying this story, let me know your thoughts and thanks again for the constant support x**


	11. Not Weak

Chapter 11:

Things hadn't gone much better when Harvey had returned home later that afternoon, bouquet of apology flowers in hand, to find Donna standing up on a step ladder, hanging fairy lights around the curtain poles of their dining and living area.

"It's not Christmas, you know?" he jokes, hoping to earn some kind of reaction from her but all he gains is silence.

"You could have waited for me to do that," he continues, testing the waters and trying to figure out where he stands, "What if you fall?"

His concern is sincere but he's met with a muffled scoff, catching the redhead rolling her eyes, as she continues with her task.

He feels himself start to sweat under the heat of her annoyance.

"Will I get started on the food?" he asks, shifting from foot to foot and hoping to swerve away from another argument by making himself useful.

"Sure." She replies curtly, still not making eye contact, she's wearing her pink satin bath robe and a pair of slippers, hair pinned back and up in curlers.

"I got flowers…" he mumbles sheepishly, fiddling with the ribbon around the stems.

"Good for you, you can put them in the vase on the table." She orders, stepping down from the ladder as her task is complete.

She wanders past him, without saying a word, gliding through the large wooden archway that connects dining to living room, and heading towards the polished staircase, also decorated in fairy lights.

She climbs the stairs and he catches a glimpse of her face, she doesn't look angry, like he expected, he knows that look, it's _hurt_.

And guilt shoots up his spine, as he slumps his shoulders, resigning himself to the kitchen.

It's an hour and a half later when he hears heels on the stairs, indicating that she's dressed, he'd been cooking the whole time, preparing the main, while Donna had baked dessert the night before, a Chocolate cake to die for, that all their friends and family absolutely adored.

He turns at the sound, the bottom floor of their home being so open plan, he's granted a perfect view of her as she descends the stairs; pale pink dress, thin straps and a square neckline, a skirt the falls flowingly over the curve of her bump, and grazes her thighs. Her red hair cascading over her shoulders in loose curls and a dainty chain that he'd bought her in their earlier days of dating around her neck.

"You look beautiful." He smiles, and he means it, not just a complimentary attempt at getting back in her good books.

Donna takes him in, his tie and jacket long discarded, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and an apron around his waist. The view makes her heart flutter, momentarily forgetting she's meant to be mad at him, the sight of such a domestic Harvey always catching her off guard, no matter how many times she has the privilege of witnessing it.

"Thank you." she answers, her tone polite and indifferent, joining him in the kitchen and moving to a drawer, organizing the cutlery so she can begin to set the table.

"Don," he approaches her from behind, skirting a thumb down the exposed skin of her back, another hand travelling to her waist, "I'm sorry," he whispers, placing a feather light kiss on her shoulder.

"I know," she relents, growing tired of the coldness, and although he's not entirely forgiven, she'll let him away with it for the time being.

She turns to face him, leaning back against the marble counter, he plants a kiss on her lips before she can say another word, soft and sensual, and she finds her arms wrapping around his neck, even as he pulls back, keeping them in place.

"I have some news." Her lips curl as the words fall from her lips.

"What is it?" he asks eagerly, glad to see her smiling.

"Dr. Laura called this afternoon," they had decided to stick with the woman who had helped them the night they returned home, when they discovered that while she had practiced in general medicine for most of her career, she had recently become a private OB-GYN. They had run some tests to check up on the health of their baby, taking into consideration Donna's age she thought it would be best practice, "everything came back clear, but she accidentally let something else slip…" he mirrors her grin, ecstatic to hear that the baby was doing well.

"Don't keep me in suspense Donna." He whines.

"Harvey," She pauses, cupping his face with one hand and running her thumb along his jawline, "We're having a little girl."

His face breaks in a large Cheshire cat smile, and she thinks she sees moisture gather in the corners of his eyes, "a girl?" he whispers, elated by the news.

Donna bites her lip with in a reply, willing herself not to tear up and ruin her make-up, "Why do you think I chose this dress?" she giggles.

"I'm so happy," he shakes his head, capturing her lips in another short kiss, "I'm going to be out numbered now." He chuckles.

"You better believe it." She quips and then glances at the clock on the far wall, "Now go and get dressed," she whispers, lips brushing the soft skin of his ear, "I'll take care of all this."

He's heading for the stairs as she moves to the dining room, spotting the beautiful bouquet she had disregarded earlier, "And thank you," she calls after him, and he stops in his tracks, confused, "for the flowers, they're perfect."

The guests arrive around eight, each couple filtering in.

Mike and Rachel are the first, arriving slightly early to assist in the set-up, the Ross' are relieved to find the soon-to-be Specters in better form than they were earlier that day, a dreamy happiness seemed to have set over them since, planting kisses on each other's cheeks at every opportunity, hands brushing the others arms and shoulders every time they passed by.

The pair couldn't guess what in the world could have caused such a change.

Louis and Sheila are next to arrive, both gushing over how beautiful the house looked, bringing with them a bottle of champagne, "It's non-alcoholic!" Louis explains with a wink as he hands it over to Donna, "It's a fabulous brand, I'm told it tastes just like the real thing, you shouldn't have to miss out."

The gesture warms her heart as she accepts it gratefully, storing it away for her and Harvey's own private celebration later that evening.

Next, Samantha, bringing with her the girlfriend that Donna had heard so much about, they had been dating for almost a year, but she was yet to introduce this mystery woman to her colleagues.

"You must be Elizabeth," Harvey greets, shaking her hand as Donna pulls back from a quick hug, "It's great to finally meet you." Donna adds with a smile.

"You too, and everyone calls me Eliza."

The pair of blondes sit themselves down on the sofa, hands linked together and the scene makes Donna beam, glad to see Samantha so happy and unashamedly in love, she's never struck her as the lovey-dovey type, but here she was.

Katrina and Alex arrive within five minutes of each other, both solo, Alex gives his apologies, as his wife has been held up at work.

Mike wanders towards the kitchen, spotting Harvey there, checking on the food. He reaches for the bottle of red wine refilling his glass and leaning against the island counter.

"So, I looked into that guy that Donna was worried about," he begins, his voice hushed, taking a look over his shoulder and spotting the redhead chatting with Samantha and Eliza by the fireplace, "there's no record of him being employed at our firm."

Harvey pauses his ministrations, placing down the knife he'd been using and turning to face the younger man, "Shit, really?" he asks, running a hand through his hair before reaching for his own wine glass.

"No, nothing, and worse still," he continues, grimacing at the reality that they should have taken Donna more seriously, "There's no record to suggest he's ever been employed anywhere in the whole building, not just our firm, so how he got in in the first place …"

Harvey sighs, his eyes closing as guilt coils in his chest. He should have listened to her, "When will we learn." He breathes, shaking his head.

"Learn what?" Mike asks.

"That Donna Paulsen's gut feeling, never misses a beat."

The pair are silent for a few moments, before Mike speaks again, "Should we tell her?"

"No," he replies, almost too quickly, and Mike shoots him a look that says _is that really a wise choice?_

"Not yet," he corrects himself, "I don't want to ruin the evening for her, or cause her anymore unnecessary stress, I'll take care of it, in fact, I'll text Ross and Leanna right now and let them know."

Mike gives a short nod, still not sure that keeping this from her is the best angle to take, but not wanting to push his luck either.

The guests take their seats and the dinner begins, everyone gushing over the wonderful meal and their beautiful home.

Harvey and Donna sitting next to one another at the top of the table, their colleagues can't help but notice how elated they both look, their hands often coming to rest on top of one another, wistful smiles shared in quiet moments or pauses in conversation.

Donna rises from her seat, heading off to the kitchen as everyone else finishes up on their main, to retrieve her cake from the fridge. She hums a broken tune as she swings her hips, bumping the door of the fridge to close it and placing the cake stand on the counter top by the sink.

A rattling from outside the window, in their backyard, catches her attention. And she lifts her head, squinting her eyes out into the darkness trying to locate the source, but the glare on the glass makes it difficult to see anything. She shakes it off, moving across the room to find her cake knife, when out of the corner of her eye, she's sure she sees a shadow glide past the window.

She startles, the knife slipping from her fingers and clattering on the tiles loudly. She hears the chatter in the next room silence, "Everything alright?" Rachel call.

Donna gulps, taking a deep breath as she bends down to pick up the knife, "Yes, fine, just dropped something!" she calls back, forcing herself to ignore whatever she thought she saw, it's just her imagination playing tricks on her. And the last thing she wants is to cause any sort of worry, knowing that all she would be met with if she were to voice her concern, would be pitying looks from her friends.

The thought almost angers her. _You go through a tough time, and all you get in return is people who used to respect you, tiptoeing around like they're walking on egg shells._

Well. She wasn't about to give them the opportunity. Not tonight.

They're coming to the end of the dessert, everyone cramming in as much of Donna's cake as they can manage, when the hostess herself stands, gaining the attention of the room.

"Harvey and I, have an announcement to make." She smiles down at him, and he beams back, standing to join her and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"We just found out today," Harvey begins, nudging Donna to finish for him, she takes a breath, "We're having a baby girl."

The room erupts in a chorus of congratulations and platitudes, Rachel and Mike rising from their seats to hug their friends.

It's almost midnight by the time all their guests have gone, the couple now resigned to their sleep clothes, Harvey clad in a white t-shirt and a pair of shorts, while Donna sported a blush pink night dress and matching robe, her make-up long since remove.

They're curled up by the fire place, the early March nights still crisp and cold, although spring was just around the corner. Harvey leaning back against the arm of the sofa with Donna lying between his legs, her head resting back on his chest, while his hands find the curved surface of her stomach.

"Oh, I just remembered," she says, sitting forward slightly, "Louis got us some sort of non-alcoholic champagne, I should try it, he'll probably ask about it tomorrow."

"You stay here," he rises, a kiss to her cheek as he goes, "I'll get the bottle and two glasses."

"You know you can drink the real stuff if you want, you're not the pregnant one here, unless there's something you're not telling me?" she jokes and he shakes his head with a laugh.

"I've already had enough wine for tonight, and I won't tease you with the good stuff." He quips back before heading off to the kitchen.

He removes two glasses from the cupboard, reaching up and also grabbing the corkscrew, however when he turns to find the bottle, to his surprise he finds it's not corked.

Instead there's a lid screwed on top like there might be on some bottles of wine. He finds it strange, but shakes it off, pocketing the corkscrew, and heading back to the living room.

A half-hour passes, Donna is still sipping away slowly at her first glass, while Harvey fills a generous second, "this stuff is surprisingly quite good." He comments, eyeing her glass, still half full, "Though you obviously disagree."

"It's strange," Donna replies, taking another small sip, "You go off this stuff for long enough and you start to lose the taste for it. It does taste quite authentic though." She muses, if it weren't for the ingredients list at the back of the bottle confirming it, she'd believe without a shadow of a doubt that it was regular champagne.

"You're not still mad at me, are you?" he asks sheepishly, swirling the contents of his drink.

She rolls her eyes with a slight smirk, "I'm always mad at you."

"Well, besides the usual then." He chuckles.

"Yes and no," she explains, fiddling with the ring on her left hand, "I need you to understand Harvey, that just because I've had a tough time, and I have moments when I need help, it doesn't make me weak, it just makes me human."

"Donna, I have never thought of you as weak." He replies, his tone is serious, and she knows he means it.

"I know you don't see me that way, but I can't take it much longer. We made a deal before, when I need your help or when I'm struggling, I'll tell you, without hesitation," she sighs, "But I need you to trust that I am still the same Donna, ninety-nine percent of the time, I'm still me."

He nods, beginning to understand how his overprotectiveness could have come across as excessive, she's always been able to look out for herself, but he's also always found it hard to stay on the sidelines, "I'm sorry I made you feel like you weren't the same Donna to me, you always have been and always will be, that same actress who trapped me for life with one handshake." The sentiment is true, since that first touch of finger tips, she became his first priority, and even if he didn't know it yet, that was the very second he fell head over heels in love.

"And you'll always be the same obnoxiously good-looking lawyer who tried to get in my pants five seconds after meeting me." She quips, and they both laugh, a sincere kind of laughter that makes their stomachs ache and breath hitch.

"In my defense," he says, capturing her lips in a kiss, before pulling back, "you _were_ flirting with me."

"That wasn't flirting, that was just _Donna_." She replies, with a cheeky smirk.

"Oh, don't I know it."

They chat for another while, discussing plans for the still blank nursery, even musing on baby names, when the clock chimes, indicating the late, or more like early hour, and prompting them to head to bed.

Donna had abandoned her glass, leaving it half full, while Harvey's was empty, two full glasses drained.

The redhead stands to her feet, a dizzying haze sweeping over her as she reaches her hands out to steady her balance, "whoa." She breathes.

"You alright?" he inquires with a frown.

"Yeah, just a little dizzy all of a sudden, I probably stood up too quickly." She explains, sitting back down, to gather herself.

"Take it easy, I'll grab you a glass of water." Harvey orders, grabbing their glasses and the bottle, and heading to the kitchen.

Donna rests her head between her knees, trying to rid the colorful dots from her vision. She hasn't felt dizzy like this since her first trimester ended, and her dinner swirls in her stomach as a sickening nausea returns, and she fights the urge to pass out there and then.

She hears the shattering of glass in the distance, pulling her from her daze although every sound meets her ears as though she's underwater, her vision distorted as she opens her eyes, hauling herself off the couch and in his direction.

She's seeing double but she spots him slouching, gripping the counter for support, the champagne bottle on its side atop the marble, while the glasses lie in shards displaced across the floor.

"Harv?" she slurs, and she's not sure why her voice sounds like that, panic begins to creep up on her as she tries to understand what's happening to them.

Donna reaches for him, turning him to face her and he clutches her shoulders in a vice like grip that worries her further, he can barely stand, his eyes half hooded, mumbling something incoherent and suddenly it clicks with her.

Harvey slides to the floor and she gives a cry of surprise, "Harvey?" she yells planting light smacks to his cheeks to try and rouse him but he's out cold, eyes shut and body unmoving save for the slight rise and fall of his chest.

She reaches for the champagne bottle, every motion taking a great effort as she wills herself to stay conscious, telling herself this can't be happening. She empties the remaining contents into the sink, her eyes widening as her suspicions are confirmed. A white grey mush collecting at the bottom of the basin.

They've been drugged.

The realization does an extra turn of her stomach as she stumbles her way to the sofa, finger fumbling as she searches for either one of their phones, retrieving his faster.

She falls to her knees with a gasp, clumsily swiping his phone open and finding the contacts app.

Donna just about manages to click the police detective's icon, her eyes falling closed but her ears still functioning.

It rings twice and she hears the distorted sound of the officer's voice, "help – us" is all she can choke out before her body resigns itself to the will of the drugs.

**Xxxxx**

**Ooooooh I told you there was more drama to come... **

**let me know what you thought of this plot twist ! **

**Jess x**


	12. Almost There

**Before this chapter begins, I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has praised and stuck with this story, you have no idea how much all your kind words have meant to me, and even though it has to end soon I reallyyyy never want to stop writing it! **

**Fair Warning: this chapter is riddled with tension drama and also features some violence, (all themes of this story since chpt1) so if that's not for, than neither is this chapter! Otherwise, I hope you enjoy! **

The first thing that occurs to Donna Paulsen is an ache in her bones from how cold she feels.

Her skin like ice to the touch as she feels the damp yet softly textured ground beneath her, that fresh smell of earth leading her to believe she's outdoors.

The dew had soaked through the back of her night dress, granting the thin material even more useless in shielding her from the cold.

She hears the crunching of feet on the heath and the sound reminds her that she'll have to play this carefully.

Donna cracks her eyes open subtly, trying to take in as much of her surroundings as possible to help her gage the situation.

She sees a broad canopy of deep shadowy green over her, a thick layer of tree-cover above giving way to only small crevices of the night sky.

Her breath is visible in the crisp air of night, coming in short gasps as she focuses on remaining calm.

She hears movement again, the cracking of twigs beneath feet and the opening of a car door, understanding the noise to be coming at some distance from her. She takes a chance, angling her head from left to right in search of Harvey.

He's lying just to her left, his eyes still closed and no signs visible to tell her if he's conscious or just pretending. The only indication that he's even still with her is the misty wisps of breath that come from his parted lips.

She wonders why he hasn't woken yet, suddenly cursing internally as she remembers that he had two whole glasses of the champagne laced with poison, while she only consumed a quarter of that amount.

Donna can feel a helpless ache growing in her, sure she doesn't need to look to know who's behind their abduction. And it's all she can do not to breakdown at the notion of what was to come for them.

_In the middle of the woods._

_In Who-Knows-Where._

_Alone._

_And if her suspicious are correct, a__t the mercy of Anthony – goddamn – Lawson_.

The glint of something in Harvey's pocket catches her eye, without a second thought she reaches out for it, pulling it from his shorts. A corkscrew? Not taking a moment to wonder what the hell it was doing there, she quickly tucks it into the side strap of her bra, just under her arm pit. The sharp steel is uncomfortable against her skin but she knows the likelihood of needing a means of defense is high.

She forgets herself, not thinking to check her surroundings before shifting forward in her position, the forest debris crackling noisily beneath her in the silence of the area.

Her attention is on Harvey, reaching out to place a trembling hand on his chest, patting, trying but failing to pull him through.

Her fingers slip to his neck, his skin cold enough to match her own, a clammy sweat coating his body.

"Harvey?" She whispers, futile, he's still too far gone.

Donna closes her eyes, using his heart beat as an anchor, trying to pull herself together. Wanting to protect him more than anything, not even letting her mind travel to the dangerous repercussions this night may have on her pregnancy, knowing that once she goes down that route, she won't recover herself from it.

She's too preoccupied to notice the muffled sound of a car door shutting in the distance.

Wobbling to stand on her bare feet she scans the ground, looking for the Harvey's phone, it's the last thing she remembers having on her and she prays to God it's somewhere here.

She wanders slightly from him, not too far, aware that she needs to keep him close but also knowing she needs to scope the area, find any potential means of escape or help.

There's a wall of bushes in front of her, and path trodden through them. Thinking this might have been the direction they came from, she kneels, leaning forward and searching for any sign of the phone.

"Look who's finally woken up!"

The voice fills her with dread as she sees Lawson limping towards her, he looks almost unrecognizable, the change in his appearance noticeable even in the darkness of the night. His head's been shaved, his body significantly thinner, almost boney, a greying beard covering half his face, hiding the withered wrinkles of his skin.

"Looking for this?" he leers, holding up the cracked phone screen which lights up, her own picture as Harvey's screen saver looking back down at her.

She reads the time.

2:30am

The last time she remembers glancing at the clock is when they decided to head to bed, that was at 1:16, so they've been out for about an hour, she wonders if the Police are even searching for them yet.

"Lovely picture," he glances at the screen before firing the phone off a few meters away into the bushes, "But you're much lovelier in person."

She feels his hand wrap around her shin, pulling her in his direction and she lets out a shriek despite herself. She flips over on top her stomach, giving her more room to struggle as she pulls herself away from him, another scream piercing the silence of the night as he yanks her ankle again, and she manages to stay on all fours, unrelenting.

He takes hold of her shoulders, dragging her to her feet and she tries to reach a hand to remove the corkscrew from under her night dress but he takes hold of her wrist first, twisting it behind her back painfully and pushing her until her back lands against the surface of a thick tree, bark scratching at her skin.

Both her arms trapped in an unshakeable grip.

She doesn't think it can get any worse until his mouth is on the crook of her neck, his hand too high on her thigh. She brings her knee up, attempting a hit to the groin but misses as he shifts to the side.

Her distressed sounds meet Harvey's ears, rousing him from his drug induced state, eyes blinking open. He doesn't have long to recover from the haziness that settles over him as he hears her shout again.

"Stop!" Her voice is strained and it's like a stab in the gut.

He sits forward, insides twisting when he spots her.

Pulling himself to his feet he stumbles clumsily towards them, his balance completely off and his head spinning out of control, he just about manages to fist the back of Lawson shirt yanking him backwards and throwing a punch that misses.

Lawson turns, surprised but nonetheless more able to retaliate than Harvey, hooking him in the jaw as Harvey takes a hit to the other man's stomach.

It's all the time Donna needs. Her heart hammers and her legs shake with adrenaline, trying not to think through what she's about to do as she fears it will deter her from what needs to be done.

She sees Harvey hit the floor, and Lawson turning back to her. Concealing the weapon behind her back.

"What's your angle here?" she asks, keeping her voice level, she knows exactly what the answer to her question is but this is just a way to waste time in the hopes that Harvey can recover himself, or the police somehow locate them beforethis can escalate any further.

"You very well know the answer to that Miss Paulsen," he mocks, identifying her move but just as she hoped, he can't resist the urge to elaborate, to toy with them, "Almost every single one of my associates has abandoned me since you two escaped last time, and if I wasn't hell bent on revenge last time we saw each other, I sure as shit am now."

He begins a stalk towards her, and she tries again to deter him, willing to try anything to keep his hands off her, but she can't think of what to say, her mind slowed by the fear rising in her throat as he moves closer.

Harvey picks up on her ploy to stall him, joining in as his only means of helping her, "How the hell did we get here?" he rasps, his voice groggy, he's beyond frustrated, his mind screaming at his body to move, to kill him, but he can't find the strength.

Lawson laughs, a sinister low chuckle.

"I've had someone following you both for weeks," Harvey winces at the admission, feeling guilty for not taking Donna at her word from the first mention of the stalker, "I had my guy watching your friends as well, he heard your colleague Louis Litt gushing over some champagne he intended to give you at your dinner party, and we took the opportunity to swap it out with another, laced with drugs."

Donna had guessed as much but the revelation still makes her feel ill.

"You've really made it too easy for me, I have to give you credit." Harvey's blood boils at the taunt but to make matters worse he knows it's true, he'd been careless, in denial, trying to put something behind them that was not yet in the past.

"Now, enough chat," he growls, and she spots Harvey trying but failing to rise to his feet as Lawson approaches her yet again, "back to business."

She puts her acting skills to the test, staring at the attacker with a stunned face like a deer in the headlights as he approaches her once again.

Lawson takes a vice like grip of her face, pulling her up to meet his height and forgetting his earlier hold on her arms as he returns a hand to the hem of her nightdress.

Suddenly in the distance, and where she's guessing the woods meet the road, she hears sirens, lights flashing red and blue across the dark heath, the colors illuminating the desperate panic in Lawson's eyes.

She wastes no more time.

The corkscrew plunges purposefully into his shoulder with a twist, careful to pierce the exact spot where the bullet hit him last time.

He releases a guttural shout, sinking to the ground as Donna heaves in every breath.

She sees Harvey, weakly attempting to climb back to his feet and rushes forward to him, her shaking hands cup his face as she urges him to find his strength.

"We need to move." She whispers urgently, hauling him to stand and frantically locating the head lights that flash not far to the right and she yanks at his arm, signaling him to follow.

They run as fast as their legs can carry them.

Hands gripped tightly.

"We're here!" she yells in the direction of the road, torch lights flashing in their direction.

She feels Harvey pick up the pace, his adrenaline-boost finally overturning the drug induced haziness that had rendered him so lax.

They're closer now, bare feet sore against the rough ground but it doesn't stop them.

Almost there.

A gun shot fires.

Drowning all other sounds.

Donna screams, tripping and stumbling forward.

Harvey grunts, lunging for her, wrapping an arm around her waist.

Desperate to protect her.

Another shot is loosed.

And they both fall.

An eerie silence broken only by the wailing of sirens.

**Xxx**

**I'm back to my old cliffhanger ways!**

**More to come so stay tuned and feel free to shout at me on twitter/reviews for the open ended chapter :)**


	13. Free

Chapter 13:

_Everything passed by in flickering images. Whirling past her mind's eye at supersonic speed._

_"Please, he needs me." She heard herself begging, but it didn't sound like her, desperate, distraught, frightened._

_"Sweetie he's going to be okay, let me help." A condescending voice drawled, but she was lying, Harvey hadn't moved once since the gunshots fired, and she knew what that meant._

_Still perched on top of him following their fall her hands fly over his body in search of a wound, blood, anything to tell her what was wrong, why he wouldn't open his damn eyes._

_"Fuck, Harvey, please." She yelled cupping his face._

_A hand gripped her arm and attempted to coax her back, away from Harvey, but he needed her._

_She needed him to wake up._

_The pull was stronger now, one she struggled to resist as she lost contact with him, her eyes zeroed in on his unmoving face,"Miss, we can't help him if you don't-"_

_"No!" the grip on her was forceful now, unrelenting and it brought too many images of Lawson flashing back before her eyes._

_That's when she snapped._

_It's fragmented in her memory, but she lashed and kicked with all the strength she had left, until eventually it all went dark._

_All consuming darkness that left her mind conscious but her body inactive, all the time thinking of him, of his still body._

_Of the gunshots._

And suddenly, she's jolting forward with a shout.

A sheer white blinding her momentarily, all that's visible is colorful specks that float in an out of sight.

Donna pulls herself up right from where she'd been lying, stumbling when she feels the pull of something pinching at the crease of her elbow.

She's misjudged the strength of her legs, hitting the cool tiles on her knees as they give way beneath her.

A door opens and shuts, the sound of footsteps rushing towards her. It makes her feel crowded, gripping at the sheets of the bed she'd been lying in and tucking her head into her chest.

Hands grab her upper arms and try to move her, pull her upright but she resists with a scream.

It doesn't relent, next feeling arms hook under her legs as she's forced back into bed.

Her screaming doesn't stop, if anything, it intensifies. She's too disorientated to understand that she's not in any danger, her senses on high alert.

His name plays on loop in her head.

"_Harvey_!" she yells out, half calling him for help and half just to know if he's here, if he's alive.

The only reply she's met with is a shushing, her wrists pinned down at her sides before she feels something wrap around each one.

Her fear reaches its peak.

"_Please_ – _Harvey_?" she rasps out the plea, her breathing haggard but her vision finally beginning to focus as she takes in strange faces working above.

She cries and struggles with all her might but it's like they can't hear her, until a hand slips into hers and she pauses her efforts.

"Donna," she recognizes Mike's voice, his face now visible leaning over her, "it's okay."

She shakes her head frantically, pulling at the restraints that keep her to the bed, her breathing getting gradually worse, and concern flashes across her friends face but she doesn't understand why he's not doing anything.

"_Help_," she begs him, and he grimaces sympathetically.

"You need to lie still, you're alright." He replies, and she feels something akin to betrayal.

"Harv?" she rasps, continuing to fight despite his request.

Someone grips her shoulders, pressing her down into the mattress before feeling a sting in her left arm, looking to her side and catching the glint of a syringe.

"No." her voice is desperate, and she sees the pain written on Mikes face.

"Harvey is fine, he's just down the hall being treated, he's safe, he'll be here any minute." He reassures her.

Finally, an ounce of relief slams through her chest. Donna feels her body going limp and knows it's the sedative taking effect, but still tries to fight it.

She's not in the clear yet, one more thought that turns in her head.

"_B-__ba__-by_?"

He squeezes her hand and she only just about feels it, a numbness settling over her limbs.

"Perfectly fine, you're all okay," a sob creeps its way out from her throat and he smiles kindly at her, "just try to relax, please Donna…"

But his words fade as she's enveloped by darkness.

Harvey's been perched in the chair next to her bed for as long as he can remember.

His arm in a sling, draped around his neck but the rise and fall of her chest is distraction enough from the pinching pain he feels there.

He hadn't left her side since they'd treated him for the break in his wrist, a result of their fall, caused when they quite literally dodged a bullet. Two, to be precise.

It was a small price to pay to ensure both their safety. And he'd do it a million times over if he had to.

There's a tremendous amount of guilt weighing down on his shoulders.

The pain of the bone snapping combined with the effects of a heavy drug dosage had worked as a toxic cocktail in knockinghim clean out, shortly after the fact.

And he'd been informed by staff at the hospital since his awakening that Donna had not fared well with the situation.

At first, she'd believed he'd been shot, not a soul able to convince her otherwise as he lay motionless on the ground beneath her. She had to be sedated on site, so that paramedics could attend to both, not realizing at them time that Donna was not in fact, seriously injured. Aside from the drugging, Lawson's manhandling, and a few superficial cuts and bruises, she was relatively unharmed.

That didn't stop her from putting up a fight.

She had that protective urge in her, just as much as he did, the pair of them far too fond of heroics for their own good.

Despite her mild injuries, Harvey had placed his concern for her elsewhere, expressing his fear with regards to her state of mind to the Doctors, who assured him that their history with Anthony Lawson, combined with the trauma of having to stab him in order to save themselves, could quite easily take a temporary toll on even the most steadfast and strongest of people, but promised that her state of shock would pass with time.

Next, while only a few meters down the hall, Mike had filled him in on the meltdown she'd had upon waking up. He lashed out at the younger man, berating him for not coming to find him as soon as he noticed something was wrong but quickly realizing he was just misplacing his anger.

He'd returned to her room to find her sleeping, lightly sedated and restrained to her bed. Something he hadn't taken to too kindly. However, the staff stood their ground, labelling her outburst as a danger to herself and others. With the promise of removing them as soon as she was lucid enough.

So, he was resigned to waiting.

Hoping that the next time she came around, she was okay.

As the hours crept past he found himself lulled into his own sleepy daze, the rest well needed and well deserved, and no matter how hard he tried to resist he just couldn't help but slip off into peace for only a few moments, or so he told himself.

It's all coming in fragments now.

_A crippling haze of panic veils her mind and body._

_Sirens, deafening._

_Shouting, words she can't understand._

Everything's dispersed in her memory, as if she's viewing it through stop motion time.

_Harvey._

_Her hand squeezed in his._

_His breath against her ear._

_Other people, moving them, helping them, though it's not what it feels like._

_She fought it._

_Hears her own screams of protest echo in her ears._

_Darkness._

A hole in her memories where she can't place a single thing.

_Beeping._

_Slow, steady, irritating._

_She sees blood behind the closed lids of her eyes._

_It stirs up that panic in her again._

She gasps as she wakes, a heavy heaving breath that travels to every inch of her body. Feeling nowhere near as unhinged as she had earlier, Mike's words on reply in her head.

_"You're all okay."_

Her heart still races with an untrustworthy clench in her stomach, she doesn't know where she is, how she got here, or what happens next and that uncertainty makes her reel with anxiety.

Donna tries to sit forward but finds her balance impaired, her hands clasped tightly to the mattress as her vision travels to her wrists.

Straps incase them, keeping her in place and the revelation makes the room spin. _Do they think she's crazy?_

Finally, her eyes find him.

Slumped in an armchair, hand in a sling and hair disheveled but otherwise, the same Harvey.

"H-" she stutters, wanting to wake him but suddenly terrified of what he might say, how could he allow this to happen to her, how could he just sit there?

She makes to call his name again but all that escapes is a strained whimper, loud enough to make him stir.

His eyes flutter before widening when he catches her gaze, noticing immediately how distressed she looks.

"Don," he murmurs, his voice level as he rises from the chair, approaching her calmly, with a gentle smile, "you're okay."

"Harvey," she pleads with him to explain, her arms tugging at the restraints, and he grimaces apologetically.

"Listen to me," he sits on the edge of the bed, placing his functioning hand over one of hers, the touch grounds her, "you had a bad shock, this was for your own safety, I'm going to let you go, just promise me you'll stay calm."

She nods her agreement and there's no doubt in his mind that she's back with them. It takes him a minute to loosen to straps one handed but eventually manages. She rubs her wrists, soothing the strain.

"You're okay?" it's all she needs to know, to hear confirmation from him and all of her fear will evaporate.

"I'm here aren't I?" he smirks, and she gives a watery smile in return, "and I wouldn't be without you, you saved us both Donna."

"You helped," she retaliates and he tilts his head to the side, lips pursed and eyebrows raised, "your tried to help." She corrects and he gives a short laugh, the sound brightens her mood like magic.

There's a soft silence that sets over them. Neither wanting to discuss what happened but knowing that forgetting it isn't an option.

"Are you okay?" he brushed the hair out of her face, cupping her cheek as she leans into the touch willingly, "Lawson gave you a pretty hard time."

"I gave as good as I got," she jokes, but her heart isn't in it and both of them know humor isn't the way around this topic, "it was awful." She admits and it feels like a weight off her shoulders.

"But as long as you're here with me, I'm okay." She finishes and she means it.

"They took him into custody, you did some damage, but all in self-defense so you have nothing to worry about," he assures her, "In fact, I'm pretty sure you're a hero to police all over Manhattan, you know how long they've been trying to catch him, and all it took was Donna Paulsen and a corkscrew." He chuckles.

She joins him in laughing, running her fingers along his sling mindlessly, "It's just a broken bone." He explains.

"Just a broken bone." She rolls her eyes, at his disregard.

"Could have been worse." He says it without thinking and suddenly it all becomes a bit too real, "But it wasn't, and we're safe now, and thank God, free of Anthony Lawson at last."

She's swaying forward, lips craving to touch his and their breaths mingle before-

"Mr. Specter!" a stranger exclaims as the door opens abruptly, prompting them to move apart, as their eyes land on the male Doctor that Donna vaguely remembers seeing earlier, "I did ask you to call me as soon as Ms. Paulsen woke," he tutted, shaking his head and Donna thought she caught Harvey rolling his eyes, "And I see you've taken the liberty of removing the cuffs, not necessarily a wise decision."

There's a vicious comeback on the tip of his tongue but Donna jumps in first.

"I'm perfectly capable of making that decision for myself thank you," she remarks in feigned sweetness, "in fact you're lucky I'm not suing you." she bites.

"Well Ms. Paulsen, there'll be no need for that you seem perfectly lucid to me," he ignores the underlying tone of her threat, "My name is Doctor Ethan and I'd just like to check you over before I send you both in your way."

She nods her consent and Harvey moves aside as the Doctor does some routine checks, Harvey eyeing him in a disapproving way that almost makes Donna giggle.

"I have to say, you certainly gave my staff a run for their money – for a pregnant woman, an awful shock you had though." He adds, his tone incredibly condescending and almost disbelieving as he scribbles something on a clip board, his eyes scanning the files.

"Be sure to give them my apologies." She says, before turning to Harvey and mouthing the word, '_asshole_'. A satisfied grin setting over his face.

"You seem all clear to me," he finishes, placing the clipboard down, "plenty of rest for the pair of you and you'll be back to normal soon."

He leaves with the promise of sending the release forms their way.

They're home that evening, Donna much more weary than she had been early, the strain on her body beginning to take its toll. He'd had a cleaner in to take care of the broken glass and traces of drugged champagne, some of it also being taken for evidence, neither wanting to be reminded of that ordeal, so the house is spotless when they return.

Donna heads straight for bed, sure that whatever sedatives they had given her are still lingering as she begins to feel overwhelmingly sleepy.

They sleep close that night, arms wrapped around each other tightly, as though knowing subconsciously that they almost lost this, the simple ability to hold one another.

She wakes only once from a bad dream, shortly after she first fell asleep, her breath hitching and her mind threatening to spiral but he's there to catch when she does. Shushing and reassuring, holding her to his chest just as she needs him to.

With her face pressed to his chest, and the thumping of his heart a constant reminder that he's safe, and so she is, and Anthony Lawson can't touch them ever again.

Safe isn't the right word to use, she thinks as she begins to slip off again, no, they're not just safe.

They're free.

**Xxx **

**Hello my lovelies!!**

**You've been such an amazing reader-audience that I've decided to extend the epilogue into 2 parts, you all deserve to read all the fluff and happy darvey after that wild ride of drama!**

**So two more chapters to come!! Thank you again for the support, and I hoped you liked this installment. Xx**


	14. Family Home

_Chapter 14:_

**_3 months later._**

Thunder claps outside the walls of _Specter __Litt__ Wheeler Williams._ The sound startles Donna out of her day dream. Although she'd, for the most part, moved past the trauma the last year had brought her, she sometimes found her mind running away from her, trapping her in _what ifs_ that unnerved and upset her.

But she's found some great ways to distract herself. The kicks and wiggles of the _not-so-litt__l__e anymore_ bump that both tickled and strained always took her mind to a better place. However, often just a simple touch from Harvey did the trick, just a graze of his fingers against her skin grounded her.

As if on cue, his hand ran down the length of her arm, prompting her to meet his gaze.

"Feeling bad again?" he asks, already knowing the answer, he'd learned how to identify the signs, and react before it could get out of hand.

"Just having one of those days," she nods with a tight smile, one look in his eyes and her nerves already began to settle, "Nothing to worry about."

He takes her hand in his bring it to his lips and planting a kiss there, eliciting a breathy sigh from his fiancé.

"There you are –" Louis calls as he enters Harvey's office, spotting the pair sat side by side on Harvey's sofa, he's surprised to see the redhead, "Donna what are you doing here? You should be at home resting, it's late and your-"

"I already tried Louis." Harvey shakes his head with a light smirk. He'd tried but failed to convince Donna to go on ahead home before him, as it appeared they had a long night on the horizon, but she'd put her foot down.

"I don't go on maternity leave for two more days," She replies, quirking an eyebrow, "that means I can hang around here for as long as I want until 6pm on Friday."

Both Harvey and Louis share a glance, and she scoffs at their unnecessary concern.

"You boys," Donna laughs, "Stop worrying, has it ever occurred to you that I'm actually going to miss these all-nighters and the crazy cases when I'm on leave?" She admits what's been eating at her for days and both Louis and Harvey's faces soften.

"Okay, you should stay," Harvey catches a glint of something in her eye, not quite sadness more, sentimentality, "It won't be long until your back."

They say no more about it, the three of them working side by side in Harvey's office as the wind and rain batters the glass encasement of the room. Samantha joins them after about an hour having been off at a meeting.

"It's really coming down out there," she mutters, taking off her sopping coat as she enters the office, "Apparently some places have lost power, what a freak storm, for the middle of June."

They don't think much of her remark, setting back to work on their case. Everything runs smoothly for the first while, and they soon begin to feel like they're gaining ground.

It's approaching midnight when Harvey notices Donna shifting uncomfortably in her seat, not for the first time in the past ten minutes.

He frowns, watching her rub her back, "Everything alright?"

She glances up at Harvey, not realizing he had noticed her discomfort, her blue, short sleeve dress suddenly feeling incredibly snug, she'd been having pains for almost an hour now, but it was nothing unusual, in fact this had been happening quite often, particularly at this time of the night, but never for quite this long.

Another pain shoots up her back and she hisses through grit teeth, gaining Louis and Samantha's attention now.

"Donna are you -?" Samantha begins her eyes wide.

"No," the redhead replies, she's been dealing with these pains for about a week now, having already visited the doctor for advice, "They're not real contractions."

"They're called Brandon Fix contractions." Harvey attempts to explain.

Donna snorts with a breathy laugh at the mispronunciation of the term, Louis also having a chuckle.

"He's means Braxton Hicks," She corrects and Harvey gives a sheepish smile, for a moment she wonders if he made the mistake on purpose just to see her smile, "they're like, rehearsal contractions."

"I thought the Doctor said they don't hurt that badly?" Harvey asks, rubbing her back.

"That Doctor can shove his opinion up his – oh!" A more violent pain crashes over her and she clutches her stomach with a deep breath.

"Maybe we should go home." He grimaces but she shakes her head.

"I'll be fine, they usually pass in a couple of minutes, the Doctor gave me some light painkillers to help, they're in my office, I'll go grab them." She stands and stretches with her palms placed on her back.

"I'll get them for you." Harvey offers but she moves past him first.

"It's okay, moving helps with the pain." She leaves her short heels behind and heads down the hallway in her bare feet, grabbing the little packet and making her way to the kitchen for a glass of water to wash it down.

Donna pads her way down the corridor, starting to feel a little dizzy as she heads back to join her friends, the storm growing louder around them as she walks through the empty firm, approaching the door to his office.

Suddenly the most viscous of her contractions so far hits her, pain rolling over her in shocking waves. She's sent staggering forward, clutching at the confines of her old cubicle and biting back a yelp.

The white noise of conversation stills in the next room as she breathes through the pain, and she's ready to surrender to the idea of heading home as the others approach her.

Harvey moves towards her, placing a hand on her back and another over her own hand which is gripping the edge of her old desk so tightly her knuckles bleed white.

"That's it," he says as he notices the pain beginning to subside, "we're going home, right now."

Donna nods her agreement, attempting to step away from her crutch, the soreness in her abdomen dulling.

When suddenly the unexpected happens.

Donna gives a gasp as an unusual sensation hits her, followed by a slow yet sudden trickle of liquid between her legs.

Her mouth falls open in shock, eyes wide with surprise as she grips at Harvey's bicep who looks completely confused not having noticed her dilemma.

"Oh my God." She heaves, looking down to her legs, and then around at the others for – she's not sure what, "My waters-"

"What?" Harvey yells, his face flushing red with panic, following her gaze down to the stain on her skirt, dripping down onto the carpet, "You're not due for another month how –"

"Harvey that's enough," Louis cuts in, noticing how his panic seemed to be having a knock on effect on Donna, who'd suddenly paled noticeably, her hand trembling, "Donna, it's alright, just take a seat." He prompts her, Samantha rushes over and both help Donna into her old desk chair.

"It's too early," she whimpers, tears welling up in her eyes, "I'm not ready, what if the baby's not ready? Did I do something wrong?" she cries, babbling, her mind a mess of emotions.

Samantha shushes her, Harvey still sitting in as much of a state of shock as Donna.

"You did nothing wrong Donna, I'm going to call an ambulance, but only because it will get us to the hospital faster than a car in that weather. Samantha, in the meantime we need to time her contractions." He nods at the blonde, he's been through this with Sheila and he knew the process like the back of his hand.

Louis rushes back into the office to make the call. When another contraction hits, like a blow to her lower back, and she gives a low wail, her hands coming to her face.

The sound seems to knock Harvey out of his trance, leaping into action, as he crouches at Donna's side, "Hey, tell me what to do, how can I help?" he asks, desperate to stop the pain for her.

"Shut up!" she bites with a harsh tone that she doesn't mean, whining as the pain passes slowly. She huffs out a breath and leans back in her chair, "Sorry." She grumbles.

"Don't apologize," he smirks, swiping the hair from her face, which already feels sweaty, "you can say what you like tonight."

"Don't I always?" she quips, her breath heavy as Louis returns.

"They should be here in ten minutes tops," he announces, and Harvey heaves a sigh of relief, "we should move down to the lobby, if you can manage?" he asks Donna, who gives a curt nod.

With one arm slung around Harvey's neck and the other around Samantha's they slowly make their way towards the elevators.

Without warning, thunder crashes loudly around them. Causing Donna and Harvey to jump, both already on edge.

Next thing they know, the lights are flickering around them, diming and brightening, making an already uneasy Donna's head spin, leaning against her two supporters heavily.

They're plunged into darkness before they can prepare for it, the only light coming from the surrounding buildings.

"Shit." Harvey hisses, and Samantha mutters something similar under her breath.

"What are we going to do?" Donna cries, her voice desperate.

"The elevators will be cut off with the power," Louis says, switching the flash light of his phone on, "so unless you think you could tackle fifty flights of stairs-"

He doesn't get the chance to finish as Donna moans in pain again, her legs nearly going out from under her, if it wasn't for Harvey and Samantha she's sure she'd be on the floor.

She feels an arm hook under her legs but doesn't have the energy to protest, burying her face in his shoulder to stifle the expletives that slip from her tongue as he carries her back towards his office.

He sets her down on the recliner chair in the corner, and she's still reeling as he crouches by her side, hand clasped in hers.

"What's going to happen?" she weeps, terrified of doing this on her own, without professionals to advise and guide, "I'm not ready."

"You are ready," he urges her to believe him but she just squeezes her eyes shut, "your body knows what to do even if you don't, just trust –"

"Bullshit!" she yells at him but he knows it's the hormones talking.

"Your contractions are about nine minutes apart." Samantha tells them, and Louis nods.

"That's good, that means we should still have a good amount of time before anything really happens, the paramedics should be here by then."

"What if they're not?" she asks in a small voice.

Harvey tries to reassure her, "they will be –"

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO BE QUIET!" she explodes and he has to bite back a grin, but Donna being Donna, she catches him.

"I'm glad this is so god damn amusing to you." she spits.

"I thought this kind of stuff only happened in movies." He chuckles.

She gives in with a tired smile, "You're an idiot."

"I know."

"Security called and said they should have the power back in fifteen minutes, so let's keep our fingers crossed." Louis says, grabbing a few tissues from a packet in his pocket and kneeling next to Donna. Using the soft material to dab at the tears and sweat.

"Thank you, Louis." She breathes, her face still pale.

Half an hour passes, the four colleagues still immersed in darkness, Donna's contractions growing more frequent and more intense, not helped by a lingering panic that pits in her chest, increasing with every passing second. It's been almost two hours now since her first signs of labor, originally having believed the contractions to be the same as those she'd already experienced in the past weeks. She's getting so tired, and the longer they're left without power the more worried she becomes.

She bites her teeth down hard on Harvey's tie, which he'd removed to relieve some of his own stress, as another contraction hits hard. The material helps to stifle her near scream in pain, the gaps between the contractions becoming shorter, and the pain lasting longer.

"I need to push." She sobs, her body trying to tell her what to do despite Louis' reassurances that it's too soon.

"I know it feels like that, but trust me, Sheila had the same problem, you can't be ready yet, there's no way you're dilated enough –"

"I can't help it – _ooooh_," she groans, her reflexes starting to push of their own accord, "I can't do this much longer, _please_." She begs, but she's not sure to who.

"You're doing so well," Harvey soothes, continuing to wipe at her face, "You're so strong –"

The room is suddenly flooded with light once again, Donna's breath catching in her throat as she feels hope pool in her stomach. Samantha jumps up and hurries out of the office with the promise of going downstairs to find the paramedics.

"Oh thank _God_," she gasps, still squeezing Harvey's hand to the point of numbness, "_Oh_-" she tries to resist the urge to push her face scrunching up and turning red.

Louis tuts, "Donna you can't –"

"LOUIS IF YOU DON'T SHUT - _AH_" she yells, cut off by another stab of pain and the man startles, his eyes wide with shock at her out-burst, Harvey barely holds in a laugh at the sight.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LAUGHING AT?" she turns her outrage to Harvey this time, and he suddenly looks as sheepish as Louis.

Another striking contraction rolls over her and suddenly her anger evaporates, resorting back to sobbing as she braces herself on Harvey's shoulder, he wraps an arm around her comfortingly, and she leans into the embrace, letting her ride it out until she's flopping back in the chair, shivering.

"Are you cold?" Harvey asks and she nods, her teeth chattering, how she went from scalding hot to freezing so quickly she has no idea.

He takes off it jacket, throwing it over her like a blanket and Louis follows suit.

Harvey places a hand on her cheek and her skin is covered with an icy layer of sweat, her face pale now, instead of the pink flush it had had just a few minutes ago.

"This is normal," Louis advises, as he sees Harvey becoming concerned, "Your temperature jumps when you're in labor, it's to be expected."

The sit in silence for a few more minutes before suddenly, mumbles, "I can't breathe-" throwing the jackets off her as her temperature begins to climb again. And sure enough when Harvey feels her forehead, it's hot to the touch. He tries fanning her with a file, a poor attempt to help.

"I feel sick," she mumbles bringing a hand to her mouth as she feels her stomach lurch, Harvey is quick to respond, reaching for the small dustbin at his desk and handing it to her just in time.

Donna empties the contents of her stomach, in a few heavy heaves, Harvey holding her hair back. When she's finished she collapses back in the chair with a defeated sigh, "where is Samantha -?" but before she can finish her question the blonde comes rushing in followed by two paramedics, a young man and woman who move quickly to her side.

They introduce themselves as Oliver and Isla.

Isla explains that she's a midwife, and she was sent out with in the ambulance just in case things were moving faster than expected, reassuring her that everything is running smoothly as they check her over.

"You're only dilated by five centimeters, so we still have another while to go, but that's a good thing, it means we should get to the hospital with plenty of time before we're ready to have this baby." Isla explains with a smile as Donna is helped into the foldable wheelchair they brought with them.

"I wasn't due for another month." She sniffles, concern etched on her face.

"No reason to worry Miss Paulsen, plenty of healthy babies are born much earlier than one month premature." Oliver assures her as they begin to wheel her towards the elevator, Harvey still clutching her hand as he walks by her side.

Louis is babbling away at her other side, informing the paramedics of every detail of the last couple of hours, but she's grateful for it, meaning she doesn't have to do so herself.

She groans as another contraction bulldozes her, and Isla talks her through it, advising her to pant to prevent pushing, the tip helps and she begins to relax.

"We'll have you comfortable and in a bed in no time Miss Paulsen, there's some pain relief in the ambulance which should help until we arrive."

**_Two hours later:_**

Donna finds herself kneeling on all fours on the mattress of her hospital bed, rocking her hips back and forth, finding it eases the strain on her back.

She had refused the epidural after the nurse had informed her of the risks associated, and while the chances of any of the side-effects even happening were slim, she still couldn't bring herself to do it, worried about the implications considering the fact that she was premature.

Donna had put her foot down, despite the Doctor, the midwives and Harvey trying to convince her to accept the pain relief.

Harvey's rubbing slow circles along her lower back, trying anything to make himself useful. His suit jacket had been discarded long ago, his sleeves rolled up messily and the top three buttons of his shirt opened. He was sweating almost as much as Donna was, hoping for both their sakes that she was almost dilated enough to begin.

"I don't think I can do this anymore," she whines, pushing her forehead into the stack of pillows and stifling another low groan as she squirms uncomfortably.

"You don't have much of a choice." He chuckles without thinking and her head shoots up, face flushed with fury.

"I'm this close to strangling you Specter." She growls.

He raises his hands in surrender, "Help me turn over." She orders and he hold her arm as she flops down onto her back, knees bent and feet planted firmly on the mattress.

Harvey begins pacing the room, checking his watch, it's approaching four in the morning, meaning she's been in labor for around five hours, and he huffs as he wonders how much longer they have to go.

Donna watches him treading around the room, glancing out the window every now and then or running a hand through his hair. For a moment, she finds it cute how nervous he seems, but then her hormones spike and a surge of agitation strikes her.

"Would you stand still your making me dizzy." She huffs and he pauses, returning to the chair beside her bed.

"Sorry," she grumbles, it's the umpteenth time she's snapped at him tonight.

"Don't be, I deserve it." Harvey smiles, he's finding her mood swings more amusing than he'd ever admit.

"That's for sure," she replies, reaching for his hand, "You're the one who knocked me up in the first place."

"Hey, don't act like this wasn't your idea just as much as it was mine." He raises his eyebrows, and she gives a tired laugh.

Just then, the door opens, the midwife returning. Isla gives a kind smile as she approaches the bed, "How are we feeling Miss Paulsen?" she asks, moving to the end of the bed to check how dilated she is.

"How do you think?" she jokes, "And Donna, is fine, there's no need to call me Miss Paulsen."

Isla remains silent as she examines her, "Please tell me I'm nearly there," the redhead pleads.

"Well Donna," the midwife rises with a smile, "I think we're just about ready to start."

"Really?" Harvey blurts out, everything suddenly becoming so real. He's about to become a Dad.

"Yes, really," Isla nods, "let me call some of my colleagues in to help and we can get this show on the road, I'll have an incubator brought down also, but that's just to be safe, you have no reason to worry Donna."

Another hour passes, Donna has her arms hooked in the crease of her legs, the midwife informing her to push gently as a contraction rolls over her in waves.

She heaves out a breath as it finishes, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tries to stay strong.

"That's good, get your energy back." Harvey soothes, brushing the sweat soaked hair from her face, "You're doing so well."

"You are," Doctor Laura assures her, having recently joined the pair after finishing up with another birth "now, on this next contraction I need you to give small pushes Donna, you're very close now."

Donna barely has time to nod before the pain begins to grow again, she pants her way through it, Harvey's face contorted with shock and awe at the whole situation, he's not sure what he was expecting, but this night had outlived his expectations for sure.

"Okay Donna, we can see the head," Isla exclaims, "so I'm going to need one final big push from you and you'll have your baby girl."

"Did you hear that?" Harvey says excitedly, squeezing her hand in his, "she's almost here."

Donna chokes back a sob, giving him a watery smile as she summons the strength to go again.

That familiar build begins to grow in her torso and she bites back a scream, pushing as hard as she can, the pain momentarily blinding.

But then she hears it.

That unmistakable sound they've waited so long to hear.

Wailing meets her ears and the sound makes her heart leap and ache all at once, her arms reaching out as their daughter is placed on her chest. Her little face scrunched up as she cries, learning how to breathe.

"Shh, it's okay," Donna soothes, running her fingers along the curve of the baby's back, Harvey's arm draping around Donna's neck, he crouches to her level, as they both gaze down at this little creation of theirs.

"Hi beautiful," Harvey whispers, and his voice wavers, tears sting his eyes as he takes her in.

"She's so perfect," Donna weeps, as the baby begins to calm, small eyes opening wide and staring up in awe at the pair, "Hi." Donna breathes, placing a kiss on her forehead.

Harvey reaches a hand over to brush the baby's cheek, trailing it down her arm towards her hand, his heart misses a beat as tiny finger's wrap around one of his.

"I can't believe she's all ours." He gasps.

Doctor Laura places a hand in Harvey's shoulder, regretfully interrupting their moment, "I'm sorry, but we really need to check her over, but I promise she'll be back with you before you know it."

Donna nods, handing over their daughter with difficulty and snuggling into Harvey's embrace.

"Have you got a name yet?"

The pair catch each other's eye. They had spent weeks discussing and arguing back and forth over names, making lists and debating meanings, but suddenly they just seemed to know, the decision not seeming so difficult anymore.

She has one name in mind and thinks she reads the same conclusion on his face.

"Number 6?" she asks, referring to the numbered list they'd made.

He nods with an incredulous smile at her ability to read his mind, "Number 6 it is." He agrees.

"Would you like to write it on her bracelet?" The doctor asks Harvey, who beams, taking the pen and scrawling the name down in the pink ink.

_**Lila**_

"That's a lovely name," Laura comments with a smile, "pronounced Lie-la?" she asks.

"Yes," Harvey replies with a proud smile, they'd liked the name because of its similarity to Lily, and loved the sentimentality of naming her after Harvey's mother.

"Well, baby Paulsen will be back with you in just a little while-"

"Specter." Donna interrupts, her eyes catching Harvey's, they had never really talked about whether she would take his name, or what name their kids would take, but in the moment,it just felt so right.

"Lila Specter." Donna reaffirms, with an adoring smile.

It's later that morning, Harvey making his way back to their hospital room with take away crossaints and coffee from the café across the street from the hospital.

He opens the door to their room quietly, spotting Donna by the window, Lila cradled in her arms as she sways back and forth. And it's only then that he realizes, Donna is singing.

_Well the sun is surely sinking down,_

_So this old world must still be spinning round, _

_and I still love you._

_So close your eyes, _

_you can close your eyes, _

_it's all right._

_I don't know no love songs _

_But I can sing this song _

_and you can sing this song,_

_when I'm gone_.

He smiles, at both the song and the sound of her voice. They'd danced to that particular song before, at a friend's wedding, Donna gushing over how much she loved it, humming the tune in his ear as they swayed to the music.

He'd always loved her voice, but she'd always been shy when it came to singing, denying the existence of the beautifully soft tone of her singing voice.

"Hey," he interrupts, and she turns to face him with a blissful look gracing her features.

"She's just gone off to sleep again." She replies, placing the little girl back in her incubator and closing it over.

"I don't think I'll ever get tired of the sight of you both." He breathes, placing a kiss on Donna's forehead.

"Well that's good to hear." She giggles, "now what have you got for me, _Mommy _is starving."

**_Three days later:_**

They walk up the steps to their front door, coming home now has a new meaning with their little bundle wrapped up in pale purple blankets and snuggled in her Mother's arms. Donna is wearing a blue sundress, no need for a cardigan, the June breeze light and the sun beaming high in the sky. Harvey sporting a short sleeved white shirt and a pair of beige slacks. A baby bag slung over his shoulder.

He places the key in the lock, smiling back at the new mother, it's their first time taking her home, and it's a sensation neither were truly prepared for.

The moment it becomes a real family home.

He opens the door and Donna is surprised as they're met with a chorus of cheers.

Rachel, Mike, Louis and all the rest of their closest colleagues are crowded in their living room, along with Donna's parents, her sister, Harvey's mom and Marcus.

They hadn't invited anyone to the hospital, Lila needing to spend some time in the incubator until she was strong enough, they didn't want visitors coming in and out while both mother and baby recovered. Choosing instead to call and facetime their friends and family, however not revealing her name until they could meet in person

Although she had agreed it was for the best, Donna had struggled to hide her disappointment, eager to see her friends and family and introduce them to their daughter.

So, Harvey had made a few phone calls, Mike and Rachel all too eager to organize a small get together for them.

There's a banner on the wall, white with purple text, "Welcome Home Baby Specter." The room decorated with pink, purple and white balloons, and bouquets of pink and white roses on every surface.

"Oh wow." She breathes, tears sprouting in her eyes.

"Surprise." He grins and she beams back.

"I love you so much." She squeaks and he leans down to place a kiss on her lips, bending down further then to skirt his lips on Lila's crown. And Donna thinks she sees the flash of a camera.

They receive another chorus of 'Awws' from their guests both blushing as they move into the room to introduce their little girl.

The pair sit on the sofa, everyone hovering around to get a look at the baby's face.

"Everyone," Harvey begins, "meet, Lila. Lila, this is everyone."

Their friends and family goo over the name, Lily tearing up as Harvey explains the reason they chose it.

That evening when everyone had gone, they climb the stairs together. Harvey holding Lila as they head to the nursery.

As Harvey lays her down in the cot, something grabs Donna's attention, a picture taken in the moments after Lila was born, Harvey and Donna cuddled together, their daughter cradled between them, both smiling softly with tears in their glittering eyes. It's in a gold frame, hung on the baby pink wall, by the window.

"Oh, Harvey." She gasps, moving back to join him at the edge of the cradle.

"Mike and Rachel got it for made for us." He explains with a grin.

"Happiest moment of my life." He breathes against her ear, pulling her to stand in front of him and wrapping his arms around her waist.

"There's plenty more where that came from." She replies, smiling down at Lila.

"With you two," he kisses her cheek, "every day's a joy."

**Xxx**

**Oh wow, I really loved writing this chapter, and I think it's my longest yet at over 5000words.**

**I hope you all loved reading it as much as I loved writing it, I think I gave myself baby fever with this one..**

**I don't have kids (I'm 19) so I don't know the ins and outs of giving birth. I did plenty of research and tried my best to keep it as realistic as possible (with out dragging on for too long) so I hope I got most of it right!! Any moms reading this? Let me know if I did okay :)**

**This is part on of the epilogue there's one more to come.**

**Let me know your thoughts in the reviews, I love to hear them, and I'm getting emotional that this is ending :( **

**Jess xx**


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